Hal George Ferguson
1928 – 2015
Hal George Ferguson, 87, of Rigby, Idaho, passed away in his sleep on the early morning of June 10, 2015. He was the eldest son of George Kenneth Ferguson and Millicent Stewart.
Like many of his generation, Hal joined the U.S. Army as soon as he was old enough. He was in the artillery, stationed in Japan, from 1946 to 1949. Upon his return to America he accepted a call to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and returned to Japan for the next three years. Having completed his formal service to his country and to his God, Hal met and subsequently married Carma Joyce Hanseen on March 11,1953 in the Salt Lake Temple and together they raised 14 children.
Together they served two missions, one to Japan and a second that included time both in Japan and at the Family History Mission on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Hal took employment with the Church Educational System as a Seminary teacher. He taught students in Malad, Idaho, Tucson, Arizona, Ogden and Payson, Utah, before returning to Brigham Young University to obtain a Ph.D. in Child Development and Family Relations. He taught at Ricks College from 1969 to 1991. He served as a Bishop on two occasions and on the high I council, among many other callings. He loved the Lord Jesus Christ and sought diligently to serve Him at all times and in all places. , Hal is survived by Carma Ferguson, his wife of 62 years, four siblings, Richard (Marta) Ferguson, Joseph (Colleen) Ferguson, Ellen (Ernie) j Yanni and Shelley (Phil) Kearns, all in Northern Utah, and by twelve of his 14 children: Georgann (Scott) Roberts, Phillip (Carolyn) Ferguson, Scott (Julie) Ferguson, Michael (Renae) Ferguson, Barbara Studebaker, Becky (Sidney) Hill, Mark (Dalene) Ferguson, Robert (Alison) Ferguson, Sandy (Tecia) Ferguson, Melissa (Kevin) Coles, Nichole (Jeff) Aldous, and Richard (KaraLyn) Ferguson, and by Gracie Ferguson and Kelly ; Ferguson, the wives of his two sons, McKay and Travis, who preceded; him in death. He leaves behind 64 grandchildren, 34 grandchildren in law, and we have lost count of the number of great grandchildren (the number changes too fast). He loved each of them dearly.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 15, at the Rigby 5th Ward Chapel, 258 West 1st North, Rigby, Idaho. The family will receive friends Sunday evening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home in Rexburg and Monday from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be in the Sugar City Cemetery. Condolences can be sent online to the family at www.flammfh.com.