Richard Ferguson

Richard Ferguson passed into eternal life on Feb.28th, 2024 at his home in The Canterbury.  He was 92.  

He was born on March 11, 1931 in Lafayette, IN.  He was the son of John E. Ferguson and Catherine Shirley Douglas.

 He graduated from DeVilbiss High School in Toledo, OH in 1949.  He graduated from Ohio State University in 1954 with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering.  Following college he served as a pilot in the United States Air Force from 1954-1957.  Following his service he moved to Melbourne, FL and worked for Radiation Incorporated and Pan AM Aerospace Division as a project engineer.  He earned a MS degree in EE from Florida Institute of Technology in 1968.

In 1969 Richard moved to Littleton, CO and was a staff Engineer for Martin Marietta.  He worked on the Hubble Telescope, the Viking Mars Lander and Skylab.  He earned an MBA from the University of Denver in 1978 and founded a consulting company; Business Enterprises.

In 1982 he moved to Rancho Palos Verdes, CA with Hughes Aircraft Company in the Space and Communications group.  Richard worked on the receivers for NASA's Galileo spacecraft to receive data from the Jupiter Probe.  In 1992-1995 he was General Manager for a start-up and then became Vice President of ProShot Golf Co.  He finished his formal career as a contract engineer for Hughes after spending over 30 years in aerospace electronics engineering.

His " retirement" became serving his beloved Riviera United Methodist Church.  He researched, purchased, and maintained all technology components from computers and AV and sound equipment, to copiers.  He served on various committees over the years mainly focusing on membership care and outreach; always coming prepared with pertinent data and spreadsheets.  He delivered homemade bread to every visitor.  He loved music and sang bass in his church choir for over 40 yrs. He also sang barbershop in his younger years.

He will be lovingly remembered for his cheerful, outgoing, good humored personality.  His optimism and smile were contagious to all who knew him.

Graveside services will be at 11 am, Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Shelby County

Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville.

Memorial donations may be made to Pleasant Grove Cemetery, c/o John Douglas, 3300 E. Vandalia Rd., Flat Rock, IN  47234.

Online condolences may be shared with Richard’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.