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Ruby Ferguson

contributed by The Hugo Daily News

     Longtime Soper resident, Ruby Ferguson, died after a long illness. She was 90.
     At the time of her death Ruby was a resident of Kings Daughters and Sons Nursing Home in Durant, Oklahoma. The family would like to thank the staff for their attention and loving care, and to Unity Hospice for their aid and comfort to Ruby and her family.
     Funeral services were held at the First United Methodist Church in Soper at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2004. Rev. Tim Harless officiated. Interment was in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Hugo.
Ruby, the oldest child of Carl and Willie Lewallen, was born April 22, 1914, on a farm near Cave City, Arkansas. She began her early education in Arkansas and Texas. About age 10, her family moved to Soper. She graduated from Soper High School in May, 1933, receiving two scholarships. Her ambition was to become a nurse, but she met the love of her life and married Lester Ferguson on November 25, 1933. They farmed and raised cattle. Lester also worked in his uncle's store in Soper. They had four children, L.C., Jean, Gail, and Lynn.
     Soon after Pearl Harbor, they moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma, where Lester went to work for Douglas Aircraft in Midwest City, building C-47 aircraft. When the war ended they returned to their home in Soper and purchased the Ferguson Grocery that they operated for 27 years until Lester's death in October, 1969. Working in the store, delivering groceries and feed were only small duties compared to the time she devoted to raising their four children.
     Ruby was a member of the Soper United Methodist Church. In later years she helped out at the church preparing food, reading stories, and counseling with Wednesday's Kids, children that came to the church after school each Wednesday afternoon. She sent out birthday greetings and get well cards for the church. She was a long time member of the Soper Eastern Star and was a past Worthy Matron. She was a member of the Soper Literary Study Club and was involved in many community activities throughout her life. She always said, "I love Soper and never want to live anywhere else."
     Other sources of great pleasure were fishing, playing cards, and bingo. She loved to travel, especially to Las Vegas, San Diego, and the mountain areas. Ruby was a classic storyteller, spinning humorous yarns of her family and childhood, growing up in the depression era in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
     She was a great fan of the OU and Dallas Cowboys football teams. She loved the holidays, watching TV, making her special "Ruby soup," her pickled beets, and other favorite dishes for everyone. She was a wonderful homemaker and loved working in her flower garden. Although her garden was filled with hundreds of plants and trees of all kinds, she was best known throughout the area for her irises, boasting some 118 varieties. Often strangers would stop to admire her garden and they usually left with a bouquet.
     As a widow in the late 70s and early 80s, she worked as a housemother at the Presbyterian Home at Goodland. She loved counseling the young people in her charge. She was greatly respected and loved while there. For years after she retired from Goodland, the children still corresponded with her.
     She always believed you should keep busy, work for your community, and set a good example for young people. Doing the right and ethical thing in any situation was the only option. She was always glad to lend a helping hand to family, a friend, or a neighbor. She loved having fun and had a great sense of humor. Ruby always started her day reading her Bible and Upper Room and giving thanks to God for her many blessings, her family, friends and community.
     She was deeply devoted to her family and friends. She was extremely caring and generous with both time and talents. Her greatest joy was being with family whether at home or on a trip.
The family would like to extend a special heartfelt thanks to all her friends who have given their love and support during her life and illness.
     Ruby was preceded in death by her parents, a baby sister, Melissa Odessa Lewallen, husband, Lester C. Ferguson in October, 1969, and a son, L.C., in November, 1989. She leaves behind to cherish many beautiful memories, a brother, Frank Lewallen of San Diego and a sister, Maxine Sexey of Las Vegas. Also, her children and their spouses, daughter Jean Moore, and husband, Lonnie, of Dallas, Texas; daughter Gail Brown, and husband, Ken, of McKinney, Texas; son, Lynn Ferguson, and wife, Suanne, of Richardson, Texas. She also leaves behind a daughter-in-law, Gail Ferguson of Frisco, Texas.
     Her grandchildren are Gayle Bourland, Ken Bourland, Cynthia Stallcup, Steve Ferguson, Jon Ferguson, Kevin Brown, Erin Hernandez, and David Ferguson. Ruby also leaves behind 11 great-grandchildren including Christopher Trammel, April Trammel, Nick Ferguson, Carter Ferguson, Rachel Ferguson, Veronica Kroeker, Jalyn Bourland, Madeline Bourland, Lauren Brown, Matthew Brown, and Cameron Hernandez. Ruby will be remembered by all with love and joy.
     Paid announcement.