Wade Ferguson, age 80, passed away peacefully at his home in Destin, Florida, September 28, 2021, from squamous cell carcinoma. Born April 19, 1941 in Harrison County, Missouri, he was the youngest of three brothers born to John Markley Ferguson and Genevieve Amy Hall Ferguson. Wade graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1965 in with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was a member of the team that built the Saturn 1B rocket, which is now a landmark at the Ardmore, Alabama Welcome Center on I-65. He married Janice Lynn Lowrey December 27, 1966 after a brief courtship in Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked as a mechanical engineer for Lockheed. After moving to multiple states for his career as a manufacturing engineering manager, he decided to return to school, studying for his doctorate in Logistics and Production at The Ohio State University. Their only child, daughter, Felicia Lynn Ferguson, was born February 29, 1976 in Newark, Ohio. Upon receiving his Ph.D., Wade taught in the business departments of Kansas State University, Texas A&M, McNeese State University, and retired after teaching Production and Quantitative Methods for twenty-four years at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. A twelve-year stroke survivor, he was also an avid horse and cattle enthusiast. He owned a one-hundred-acre farm south of Bowling Green for twenty-seven years, during which time he completely changed the landscape by designing and building a one-of-a-kind 4,800 square foot house, two barns, a five-acre lake, and replacing all of the fencing. His curious mind and creative spirit were evident in his horse and dog breeding activities as he researched bloodlines and traits. The English Mastiffs he bred are now some of the foundational bloodlines in the breed. His faith in God was his source, and Psalm 95:1-7 was his life verse. He was a member of Destin United Methodist Church, Destin Seniors, and a past member of the Bowling Green Rotary Club and Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-four years, Janice; and his daughter, Felicia. He is preceded in death by his father, John; mother, Genevieve; and brothers, Francis Markley Ferguson and John Patrick Ferguson.
The family wishes to specifically thank Regency Hospice (nurses Chelsea and Sara, and chaplain Charlie), Dr. Reese Ruder, Dr. Eric Scheufler, Dr. James Siefker, Dr. James Steven, Dr. Harvey Hsiang, Dr. Reed Harned, and Dr. Patrick Anastasio and the staff for their care and compassion for Wade. We are grateful for our neighbors, Facebook friends, the Destin Seniors, and Destin United Methodist Church (Pastors Allen Newton and Kim Cannon and the Living Today Sunday School class) for their support and prayers.
A memorial service will be scheduled at Destin United Methodist church with interment to follow in Lexington, Kentucky, at the Lowrey family plot in the Lexington Cemetery.
“In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Destin United Methodist Church in Wade’s memory.”