James Paul Ferguson

James Paul Ferguson, age 84, was born on March 17, 1935 to the late James Barbour Ferguson and Alice Irene (Dow) in the family home on Homer Street during a winter flu epidemic.  Jim left the same way, on the morning of January 2, 2020, peacefully in the home that he had lived in for the last seventy years. The last sixty-one with his beloved wife, Jeannette Herr Ferguson, whom he married August 23, 1958 in Trinity Lutheran Church.  Jeannette survives along with their four daughters; Brenda Ferguson (Bruce) Stabile of Albuquerque, NM, Cathy (Clifford) Kilian of Mason, OH, Christine (Barry Christopher) Compton of Leland, NC, and Karen (Thomas) Creek of Columbus, OH.  Surviving grandchildren include Cassidi, Alex and Erich (Caitey) Stabile, Corinne and Jonathon Patton and Rachel (Todd) Marullo.  Great grandchildren are Thomas and Vincent Marullo and Baby girl Stabile due in February 2020.

Jim was a proud Marionite, serving the community in a multitude of organizations including First Presbyterian Church as an elder, Deacon and baritone in the Chancel Choir; Marion County Historical Society as charter member and board of Directors; Palace Cultural Arts volunteer; OSU Alumni Assn.; Marion Concert Band playing baritone horn; and MGH Twig VI (Garden Club of Marion).  He worked the polls on many an election day and proudly served the sixth ward as their councilman.

His work experience began delivering papers at 12 years old and continued until he graduated from Marion Harding in 1953.  Jim continued his education at The Ohio State University, where he graduated in 1957 with a BS in Business Administration.  He worked as a technical writer at the Marion Army Corp, as well with various governmental organizations; retiring from the Ohio Dept of Taxation after 30 years of combined service.

As a youth in the pre-TV era, Jim became an avid listener of radio news, sports and music. He found it a fascinating media, forcing one to use their imagination.  During his high school days, black and white TV became the media of choice, and then color. And then came a media where he could actively participate, The Internet, and participate he did! He started using a DOS operating system and progressed to a desktop personal computer, and finally a cell phone.

He enjoyed researching his Scottish heritage by going to Highland games in several states and celebrating the annual “Kirkin o’ the Tartans” at First Presbyterian Church in his complete Ferguson tartan kilt regalia.

In 1998, he left his fear of flying behind to attend the Harding Class ’53 reunion cruise. Thereafter, he and Jeannette got the traveling bug, visiting Alaska, the Caribbean and Nova Scotia before taking each of their grandchildren on international trips to United Kingdom, Panama, and the Rhine river. But most of all, he loved his community, his Buckeyes, his church, his girls and his loving wife, Jeannette.

Visitation will be from 6-8pm on Monday, January 6, 2020 and again from 10-11am on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 at the First Presbyterian Church in Marion, OH.  The funeral service will immediately follow the visitation on Tuesday at 11am with Pastor Rob Howard officiating.

Jeannette would like to give a special thank you to the Marion General hospice volunteers, Laura and Beth, and to Joyce’s angels, Bruce and Dan, for their special care.

The Boyd-Born Funeral Home is honored to serve the Ferguson family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church or the Marion Community Band.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James Paul Ferguson, please visit our floral store.