William Gerow Ferguson passed away early Friday morning, May 11, 2018 at First Community Village in Upper Arlington, OH from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. Born in San Jose, California on August 9, 1927, Bill attended Abraham Lincoln High School. Immediately following graduation, Bill joined the US Navy serving as a surgical technician at the 7th Navel District Hospital in Jacksonville, FL.
He graduated from Washington University and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Bill’s post-Navy career marked his entry into the chemical business, beginning as a plant manager/supervisor at Algonquin Chemical Corp and US Industrial Corp, followed by VP positions at Wabash Chemical Corp, Houston Chemical Corp and PPG Industries where he was Executive VP of the Chemical Division. Bill served as President of Ashland Chemical, Chairman and CEO of General Exploration, Founder and President of TTI Systems, Inc and its subsidiaries Transcontinental Terminals and TransKentucky Transportation Railroad.
He was a Director and Executive Vice President at Snow Aviation. He also served as a Director on the Boards of Alrac Corp, Buckeye International, The Jamestown Foundation, Food Lion, and was an Honorary Director of the Delhaize Group of Brussels, Belgium. After meeting in St Louis, Bill married Jodie Montgomery on Sept 4, 1948.
They were happily married for 69 years, raising a family of four children in Kansas, Illinois, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Bill was a voracious reader of non-fiction and held a fascination with gadgets, machinery and technology. Music was also a lifelong passion, from playing drums in high school bands to attending concerts of all genres – big band, jazz, Broadway and classical – Bill was a fan of it all.
He loved playing golf and watching tournaments on the weekend. After Sunday’s final round, Bill and Jodie created epic Sunday Night Dinners. They were not to be missed.
They also loved to travel, fostering tight and lasting bonds with friends and family along the way. Preceded in death by his parents William Henry and Helen Louise Ferguson and brother Robert S Ferguson. Bill is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Jodie Montgomery Ferguson of Maryville, MO.
Also survived by four children: Scott (Emiko) Ferguson of Santa Monica, CA, Jeanne Ferguson (Thomas) Fansler of Minneapolis, MN, Alan (Carol) Ferguson of Columbus, OH and Robert (Jayme Brown) Ferguson of Columbus, OH as well as five grandchildren: Alison (Andy) Mattila, Molly (Andrew) Wyman, Samuel Fansler, Caer (finance Sam McCracken) Ferguson and Niall Ferguson and two great-grandchildren, Grace and Harrison Mattila: his sister Patricia Ferguson; Diane Neil, longtime business associate to Bill and close family friend and many extended family members and friends, he had a good life. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at First Community Village for their kind and dedicated service to Bill over the last 7 years. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:30pm on Friday, June 15, 2018 at St. Albans Episcopal Church, 333 S. Drexel Avenue, Bexley, OH.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the First Community Village Foundation, 1800 Riverside Drive, Columbus, OH 43212 or The Columbus Symphony, 55 E. State Street, Columbus, OH 43215.
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