Patsi Wells Ferguson passed away in Houston on Sunday, the 29th of December 2019. She was 90 years of age.
Patsi was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma on the 13th of August 1929, to Vera Myrick wells and George Wells. Her father worked for Carter Oil, but when Patsi was six years of age, he accepted a job with NKPM in Indonesia, then the Dutch East Indies, in Aceh, Sumatra. Patsi went to an English boarding school said to prepare students for Oxford, and she long believed the British Schools to be so good she would never have to study again. She and her mother were evacuated almost a year before WWII, and her father got back three days before Pearl Harbor. Shortly after his return, he was transferred by Esso to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Patsi graduated from University High School in Bator Rouge, went to Stephens College and on to graduate from LSU in Journalism. She worked on the “Reveille,” the school newspaper, was editor of “Delta”, the LSU literary magazine, was very active in school affairs, and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi. This was when she learned, to her dismay, the British schooling didn’t take the place of studying.
Upon graduation, Patsi worked for esso for a year, where she met her future husband, A.J. “Fergi” Ferguson, originally from New Orleans. They were married 6 months later. They found a home in Piney Point, where they lived what they all look back on as a dream life. A.J. worked for a company he admired tremendously and Patsi did all the usual things mothers in the 50’s did. Besides all the school activities, i.e., P.T.A. president, homeroom mother every year, chairman of spaghetti suppers and field day, etc., member of Tynewood Garden Club, Lagniappe Book Club, P.E.O. Sisterhood, several bridge clubs off and on, she played bad tennis enthusiastically at the Racquet Club. The family had a like house where they spent most weekends. When their last child went off to college, Patsi went to work “temporarily” for 17 years. After retirement, she volunteered on the Hotline at HAWC for several years.
In her later years, she considered herself to be an undeservedly blessed woman. She was content with her life, loved her new home, her church, St. Francis Episcopal, her almost perfect children, her perfect grandchildren and her superb great-grandchildren, her neighbors, a few of whom were like family, her friends and her little dogs, Ginny, and then Lolli, a rescue dog after Harvey. She spent most of her last years coddling her pets, fitting in the time to do crossword puzzles, sudokus, read and play bridge and Scrabble on her IPad. Her youngest daughter and son in law, Dede and Mark, included her in activities at their farm where she was at peace with the world, watching the cows stroll by.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband, A.J. Ferguson, and is survived by her children, Andrea White (Bill) of Houston, Doug Ferguson (Becky) of Midland, Jayne Breedlove (Jim) of Bellville, and Susan “Dede” Aurich (Mark) of Bellville; ten grandchildren, Will White (Kelsi), Elena White, Stephen White, A.J. Ferguson, Joan Thomas (Luke), Thomas Cosby (Tiffany), Austin Cosby (Colleen), and Katelyn Oliver, and Brittany Mitchell (Drew) and Andrea Brown (Jason); and six great-grandchildren.
She was grateful to her friend and right arm, Ana Martinez. Her children and grandchildren cared about her quality of life, and spent a lot of time with her, keeping her involved and informed, as did her neighbors and friends, Jenny, Linda, Julia, Clint, Alys, Dora and others who helped her live a life that was a joy to the end. A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 3rd of January, at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 345 Piney Point in Houston, where the Rev. Stuart A. Bates, Rector, will officiate.
Immediately following all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the nearby Fine Arts Building.
In lieu of customary remembrances, and for those desiring, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to the St. Francis Rector’s Discretionary Fund, 345 Piney Point Rd, Houston, TX 77024.