Helen F. Ferguson
1917 ~ 2007
Helen F. Ferguson, age 90 passed away August 18, 2007 in Salt Lake City, Utah . She was born Friday, July 13, 1917 in Garfield, Utah to Francis and Mary Ekblad. She graduated from Cyprus High School. She and one of her best friends, Ina Iverson moved to San Francisco in approximately 1941. They were the first women to work for Railway Express, a national company which was combined Brinks Security and shipping by rail. Helen also worked at the Remington Arms plant in Salt Lake City making .50 caliber ammunition. She then married Omar N. Ferguson in February 29, 1944 in Orlando , Florida. Omar had just returned from flying 132 combat missions in the Southwest Pacific. Omar and Helen with their three children, spent most of their lives overseas including Naha, Okinawa; Taipei, Taiwan, Frankfurt, Germany, and Oahu, Hawaii. Some of the travel, Omar would go ahead because the living conditions were not the best. For the assignment in Okinawa (1951 to 54) Helen, always practical bought a Jeep Jeepster to take to Okinawa. The Jeepster was the first SUV ever made. She was used to shopping in open air markets, ala National Geographic, for fresh caught fish, live chickens, vegetable and rice.
She was a very good cook even when rats ran through the walls in the homes in Taipei while she was cooking. She always did volunteer work, known as Family Services in the Air Force.
She is survived by her children Gary (Julie) and Kim (Diane). Chris (Debbie), deceased. Grandchildren: Ryan, Megan, Lindsey, Sean and Erik. She lived as long as she did in large part due to the angelic attention she received from Mary Lou Sincavage, her niece.
Graveside services will be Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 10 a.m. at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, UT.