Roy Francis Ferguson was born December 1, 1923 to George and Hattie Ferguson, and passed away in Springfield, MO November 12, 2010. He was 86 years, 11 months and 12 days. He was the youngest of 7 children, preceded in death by his 3 brothers and 3 sisters. He is survived by his wife of 52 ½ years, Ligia Mejia Ferguson, whom he wed in her hometown of Bogota, Colombia on July 5, 1958. Of this union, three children were born: Roycito George Ferguson – 51, Sonya Ligia Hurst (Husband Michael) – 50, and Christina Angela Ferguson – 45, all of Springfield. Roy was also the proud PaPa of two grandchildren, Victoria Ligia Marie Gredvig and Nickolas Michael Hurst, also of Springfield. Other survivors include nephew Tim Ray, his wife Linda and daughters Stephanie and Lori, nephew Denny Black, all of Texas, and nephew Enrique Dussan of Miami FL.
Roy proudly served his country in the Army Air Corps during WWII. His patriotism and love for his country stayed with him his entire life. After his time in service, he attended Oklahoma State University, graduated with degrees in Geology and Civil Engineering. He began his geological career with the US Geological Survey in 1950 in the branch of Photogrammetry. He left Federal Service in 1956 to work as a geologist for Texaco Oil Company in Colombia South America. He later moved to Rolla, MO where he continued his career as a civil engineer with the United States Geological Survey and advanced to the position of Chief, Photogrammetric Operations Section, and the position from which he retired in August 1980.
Roy was a very devoted family man. He was always so proud of all of the accomplishments each and every one of his children did. Roy’s love of life extended onto his great affection for his pets, his dogs and his bird.
Roy had a knack for putting smiles on people’s faces, even those that didn’t know him. His sharp wit never failed him, and his smile was contagious. Roy was a man who loved his family with every ounce of his being. He loved his wife with a love that many may never know, and their affection toward one another lasted to the very end. He raised his children to love, regardless of circumstances, and to treat others as they themselves would like to be treated. He inspired them to succeed in the world they were given, and to be thankful for their lot in life. Roy was a wonderful grandfather to his grandchildren. He was a great friend and neighbor. He knew the value of finding and maintaining meaningful friendships, and the importance of treating everyone he met with respect and kindness. Roy enjoyed being surrounded by friends and family, and always made a special effort to share his appreciation and love. Whenever there was a difficult moment in life, he was often known to say “A hundred years from now none of this will matter or make any difference”. Let it be known that those 100 years have not passed, but Roy Ferguson mattered to a lot and made a big difference to many.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 1:00 pm at Greenlawn South Chapel with burial at 2:00 pm at Missouri Veterans Cemetery.
Visitation will be held on Monday, November 15, 2010 from 6-8 pm with prayer service beginning at 6:00 pm.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Ozarks Honor Flight.