Fond Farewell: FMS Staff Member Lloyd Ferguson

Retired staff member Lloyd Ferguson, who worked in Facilities Management and Services for 23 years, passed away September 25. He was 90.

Born April 29, 1929, in Granite, Oklahoma, he moved to Chico when he was 17 years old. He worked at the Diamond Match Factory from 1947–50, when he enlisted in the US Army. He served in Oppama, Japan, and earned the Korean and United Nations Service Medals. After returning to Chico, he resumed working at Diamond Match until he was hired at Chico State as a custodian in 1964.

He held numerous jobs through the years, rising up the ranks of responsibility and eventually moving into the mailroom and shipping and receiving department. Better known as “Fergie” to his campus colleagues, Ferguson took great pride in his work and its role in serving the University.

“He crossed paths with everybody on campus,” said his son Rick Ferguson, who followed in his dad’s footsteps and also retired from FMS. “He knew their names and faces, where they worked, and what they did.”

Ferguson’s favorite aspect of his job was the students, and he always made sure he had food in the office for them and enjoyed hosting “little feeds,” whether a simple pot of beans or a barbecue for the students and staffers, his son added. In 1978, he was honored with the Staff Employee of the Year Award, one of his many proud achievements before retiring as a supervisor in 1987.

In retirement, Ferguson and his wife, Marlene, moved to Manton, where they were active in the local church, grange hall, and the Manton Apple Festival. Ferguson hosted his own booth at the festival every year, offering his barrel-cooked chicken or French dip sandwiches, and proudly won a few trophies in the apple pie contests. He also loved hunting, fishing, gardening, propagating plants, and collecting stamps, coins, cookie tins, and other miscellaneous items.

He is survived by sons Bob and Rick, daughters-in-law Darlene and Anne, granddaughters Lacy, Jenny, and Molly, and great-grandsons Ryson and PJ. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Ferguson’s memory. The University flag will be lowered Thursday, October 3, in his memory.

A graveside service will be held Thursday, October 3, at 11 a.m. at the Chico Cemetery on Mangrove Avenue, followed by a reception at the Chico Mobile Country Club Clubhouse at 1901 Dayton Road.