George A. Ferguson

Georgie Albert Ferguson, 92, passed from this life on July 28, 2018 at Morton County Senior Living Community in Elkhart, KS.

Georgie was born on February 14, 1926 at the rural Sturgis home of his parents, George W. Ferguson and Lenora Olive Fowler Ferguson. Georgie was the 3rd child and 3rd son born into a family of nine children. His parents and both sets of his grandparents were early pioneers in the Oklahoma Panhandle. His grandparents, W.E. and Mary Alice Ferguson and C.A And Tamer Ellen Fowler were early homesteaders in Texas and Cimarron County, OK.

George lived through the hard times of the Great Depression and the treacherous, rolling dirt storms of the Dust Bowl. George began driving a tractor at the early age of about 9, helping his Dad in the fields. He has told his children of being tied to the tractor seat so he wouldn’t get bounced off.

As a child, Georgie walked to the one room school house, Harmony School Dist #12, with his siblings, a distance of about 2 miles from the home place. He achieved an 8th grade education at Harmony and completed a few years of high school in Elkhart, KS. Because so many men had been called to serve in WWII, there was a shortage of workers to keep the farms going. He quit school to help his Dad keep up the farm.

During high school, George met a very pretty young lady, Patricia Mae O’Toole, of Elkhart. Patty was the love of George’s life and they were united in marriage May 5, 1946. To this union were born 6 children, 3 sons and 3 daughters. George and Patty were blessed with 65 years of marriage before Patty passed away Sept. 17, 2011.

George farmed for 65 years in Cimarron and Texas County, OK. He also worked on many construction projects in the Elkhart area. George was involved in the construction of the Church of Christ building and parsonage, the filling station that is now Smiling Papa Johnsons, and pouring of the foundation of the original portion of the Morton County Hospital in addition to various other construction projects in the area.

George enjoyed designing and building equipment for his various endeavors. During the 1960’s, George built a rock crushing plant providing caliche rock for TX and OK highway projects. George and his family had a custom cutting operation in OK, CO and MT harvesting wheat for many years. During the fall he hauled silage for several feedlots in the local area for many years.

George has lived his entire life in the rural Sturgis, OK and Elkhart, KS area. His home for most of his adult life was ½ mile from the house where he was born. George has been a faithful, lifelong member of the Church of Christ.

George is survived by his children – Roger and wife, Linda of Tulsa, OK; Carol Lee of Forgan, OK; Beverley Lee of rural Keyes, OK; Tammy Batten and husband, Stephen of St. John, KS; Roscoe and wife, Teresa of Hooker, OK and daughter-in-law, Tammy Jo Ferguson of Vernal, UT. Eighteen grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren also survive him. George is also survived by 3 sisters, Ruth and husband, JB Harrington of Farmington, NM, Pearl Turner of Lubbock, TX, Linda and husband, Jerry Taylor of Lubbock, TX and brother-in-law, Duane Cooper of Abilene, KS.

George was preceded in death by his dear Patty in 2011, his middle son, Gillette, in Oct. 2017 and son-in-law, Thomas Lee in 2014. He was also preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, siblings – Charlie Ferguson, Glen Ferguson, LeRoy Ferguson, Alice Cooper and Mary Hill. Seven brothers-in-law and two sisters-in-law have also preceded him in death.

Visitation will be from 2-8 pm on Mon, July 30th at Garnand Funeral Home in Elkhart. Funeral services will be held at the Church of Christ, Elkhart, KS on Tues, July 31st at 2 pm with burial immediately following in the Elkhart Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to Black Mesa Bible Camp, Cal Farley’s Boys Home, Elkhart Senior Center or to a charity of your choice in care of Garnand Funeral Home.