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John "Jack" Ferguson

FERGUSON, JOHN “JACK” - 86, The Falls, N.S. It is with profound sadness and great love that our family announces the death of John Swan Ferguson who passed away at the Colchester Regional Health Center on May 23, 2016 after a brief illness.

Born May 7, 1930 at the Springhill Hospital and raised in Oxford, Jack was the eldest child of the late John George and Elsie Beatrice (Swan) Ferguson.

Jack had two great passions: his family and his horses. As the owner of Precentor Farms, Jack raised Standardbreds and raced them throughout the Maritimes for more than 50 years. He was deeply involved in harness racing as a breeder, trainer, driver, judge, and longtime Manager of the Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association, serving on the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission and Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition Commission. He was honoured with the Glenn Kennedy Memorial Award, the Ron Waples Award, and Senior Horsemen’s Award (Truro) in recognition of his service, commitment and exceptional contributions to the harness racing and breeding industries. He shared many racing adventures with his late brother Doug. One of his proudest moments was breaking the two-minute mile with Precentor Frost in 2006.
Jack had a 32-year career with Canadian National Railways, working as a telegraph operator, station agent, trainmaster, transportation analyst in Moncton and Manager of the CN Express and Freight Terminal in Saint John. He saw Canada by rail, travelling on the last passenger train ferry from Cape Breton, the first train across the Canso Causeway and the last run of the “Newfie Bullet”. After retirement from the railway, Jack took up farming, shipping cream to the Tatamagouche Creamery. He loved to hay and was still baling in his 85 th year. He was active in his community, on the school board, with his church, many choirs and in the Liberal Party.

Jack is survived by his loving wife Vivian (Moore), his children Carol (Terry Hovey) of Bayhead, Joyce (Remi Lemoine) of The Falls and Riverview, NB, John (Valerie Coolen) of Fredericton, and his grandchildren Alice, Ian, Neal, Claire and Emily. Fondly remembered by Vivian’s daughters Judy Ferdinand (George) and Barb Wood (Jeff) of Oxford, her grandchildren Chris, Bobby, Andrew, Jillian, Nicole, Daniel and great-grandchildren Corbin and Charlie Rae.

Also left to mourn are his sister Anne Wilson, brother Ralph (Jean), sisters-in- law Donna Ferguson, Pauline Ferguson, Shirley Leslie and Inez Marshall, brothers-in- law Stan (Faye) Moore, Chuck (Lorraine) Moore and Jim (Grace) Moore. Jack will be missed by his many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Velma (Potter), brothers Douglas and Daniel and nephew Richard Ferguson.

Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 27 in Coulter’s Funeral Home, (902-657-3288) Tatamagouche. Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Saturday, May 28 in Sedgwick Memorial Presbyterian Church, Tatamagouche, Rev. Gregory Dickson officiating. Interment will be at a later date in Pine Grove Cemetery, Oxford. Family flowers only by request. Memorial donations to the Lillian Fraser Memorial Hospital Auxiliary or Pine Grove Cemetery would be appreciated. Online condolences can be forwarded to the family by visiting the funeral home website at: www.mmcfunerals.com

 

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