Joy R. Ferguson

FERGUSON - Joy R. (nee Reeves)
Of Williamsville, NY, May 26, 2018;

Joy Ferguson, daughter of David Reeves, Jr. and Gladys Stanton, was born in Syracuse, NY and raised in Rochester, NY with her older sister, Ruth Jean and brother, David Reeves, III.

Joy met her husband, Rev. Dr. Gene Ferguson at Grace Methodist Church in Rochester where they were married on September 5, 1955 and lived in Boston, MA.  Following Gene’s graduation from Boston University School of Theology in 1957, they moved to LaGrange, Ohio where their two children were born, Lori Jean and James Alexander.

They moved back home to Rochester in 1961 and Joy worked for various insurance agencies during her career in commercial insurance underwriting.  As a pastor’s wife, she adopted a self-determined role that was very active including: Financial Secretary in one church, coordinator of a Food Cupboard in another, teacher in Sunday School; United Methodist Women member and officer (Christian Missions and Christian Social Concerns work areas); hostess for many groups, including staff social events, UMW Circles, and youth & college gatherings in the parsonage….always a supportive partner in ministry.

Joy served a term on the Chautauqua Homes Board as a member, treasurer, then President, which governed the operation of the Missionary Vacation Home and the Deaconess Home on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution, both properties owned by the Women’s Division of the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.

She loved being near the lake and fishing with her parents at their small cottage at Fishers Landing, NY at the 1000 Islands.  In 1964, Gene and Joy purchased their first home, a 100 yr. old farm house in Alexandria, New Hampshire near Newfound Lake. Joy especially loved hosting family and friends and dreamed of having a bed & breakfast inn at the farm.  After 23 years, they sold the farm house and bought a home in Dewittville, NY on Chautauqua Lake. Joy loved attending symphony orchestra and opera performances at Chautauqua Institution and most of all enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren: Nathan, Bret, Wesley and Lindsay at the lake on their pontoon boat.

Joy also was an avid reader and enjoyed traveling.  Gene and Joy traveled to over 20 countries around the world and throughout the United States and Canada.  A favorite hobby was traveling to all of the U.S. Presidential Homes and Libraries. 

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and proud great grandmother to Alexis, Miranda, Connor and Audrey.  Mom loved to bake pies and Christmas cookies and sewing many Halloween costumes and American Girl doll clothes for her grandchildren.

We will always remember her beautiful smile and the endless love and compassion she showed to all.

Beloved wife of Rev. Dr. Gene M. Ferguson; devoted mother of Lori Jean (Klaus) Schonrank, James Alexander (Lillian) Ferguson; grandmother of Nathan Alexander (Christine), Wesley Malcolm Ferguson, Bret William (Katie) Oldfield, Lindsay Leigh (Scott) Hannon; great-grandmother of Alexis Lee and Miranda Rae Ferguson, Connor Scott and Audrey Leigh Hannon;  sister of the late Ruth Jean (late Ed) Quigley and late David (Gloria) Reeves; sister-in-law of Patricia (John) Volker; also survived by many nieces and nephews.

All are invited to a Remembrance and Celebration Service at Kenmore United Methodist Church, 32 Landers Rd. (at Delaware Rd), Kenmore, Saturday (June 9th) at 10 AM.

Memorials to Food Bank of WNY or Crystal Scott’s GoFundMe campaign for kidney transplant, www.gofundme.com/lilmisstransplant 

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