Earl D. Ferguson, 90, Sturgis, died Monday October 30, 2006, at his residence in Sturgis.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 7, 2006, at the First United Methodist Church in Sturgis with Pastor Keith Nelson officiating. Burial will be in the Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis.

A memorial has been established to the Meade County Senior Association and to the Earl D. Ferguson Music Scholarship Fund.

Earl's pioneer grandparents, Monroe Ferguson and Jane McFarland-Ferguson came to SD in the 1880s. Arriving first from Rockford, Ill., were Monroe and his father-in-law, James McFarland. Jane and babies Charlie and Wesley (Earl's father) later arrived in the Black Hills by stagecoach. The family homesteaded on Squaw Creek near Creighton, SD, where three more children, Walter, Guy and Ada, were born.

In 1904, Wesley William Ferguson married Ethel Elizabeth, daughter of Warren and Bessie (Stewart) Harwood. Ethel's family came to western SD also during the late 1880s from Wisconsin and Iowa. Wesley built a log home for his family hewn from cedar gathered from the nearby Cheyenne River breaks where Earl Dean, the youngest, was born October 17, 1916. In 1918 Ethel was widowed, left to raise her four sons, Paul, Glen, Frank and Earl.

Earl deeply loved and admired his mother and held his brothers in highest regard, openly praising the oldest Paul for being his protector, teacher and father figure. The Ferguson brothers attended school in a one-room schoolhouse 1/2-mile from their home. This is where Earl's interest in music was sparked as he teamed up with his teacher, operating the pedals as she played the pump organ.

Ethel and her family of boys moved to Sheridan, Wyoming, for a few years before returning to the White Owl/Enning area, where Earl finished grade school. He attended Stoneville High School only for a short time before he was needed at home to help with chores and find employment. As a young ranch hand, he worked cattle and broke horses for a living. In 1934-35, he joined the CCCs stationed near Fort Meade helping to build roads, dams and conservation projects which are still being used throughout the Black Hills.

Through his natural "ear for music" and gifted ability he taught himself to play a variety of instruments: harmonica, fiddle, guitar, banjo, piano and his chosen favorite - the tenor saxophone. He soon found himself playing with dancebands throughout the country. At one such dance in Creighton he was introduced to Lucile Hopkins, a young successful schoolmarm from Plainview teaching at Dalzell School. They married June 14, 1938. As children Dale, Jean Ann and Wesley arrived upon the scene, dances became a family affair where the kids spent most Saturday nights curled up behind pianos asleep as "the band played on!" Whether dancing or listening to music, the Big Band sound has been a favorite for Earl and Lucile throughout their seventy years together.

Shortly after their marriage, the Fergusons purchased a small acreage south of Enning, where they farmed and raised livestock while Lucile continued her teaching career. In '45 they sold and moved to Wasta. Earl was involved in farming, operated a trucking business and was employed by Birdsall Sand & Gravel. Lucile continued her career teaching rural schools at Deering and Lakeside. Earl served on the school board for several years, where he eventually became Chairman and City Mayor. They were active in the Methodist Church, community and school affairs, especially enjoying boy's basketball games. They owned and operated the Cheyenne River Lodge, which consisted of a cafe, gas station and cabins.

After selling the business in 1955, the family moved to Sturgis, where Lucile accepted a position with Meade Schools and Earl put his skills as a crane operator to work on the Titan Missile Base. The family became active members of the First United Methodist, where Earl was baptized Feb. 19, 1956. Following the completion of the missile base, Earl was employed by the US Postal Dept. as rural carrier on the Alkali Route for ten years.

After his first retirement, he took up piano tuning, gardening and roping. However, his restless ambition found him attending Real Estate School. He obtained his SD Real Estate License in the early 1970s and at the time of his death was a member in good standing of the Farm and Land Institute, an affiliate of the National Assn. of Realtors. While operating Ferguson Realty, he specialized in farm, ranch, range and recreational lands.

Whether bronc-busting on the Cheyenne River, team-roping across Meade County or winning the Old Men's Roping Championship at Broadus, MT, his love for working with horses persisted. He possessed a natural understanding and respect for animals, which provided him with a knack for getting family pets to perform tricks to finding a good horse for anyone who put him to the task. Having experienced diversified professions as a self-professed jack-of-all-trades, he readily admitted to being "just an old cowboy at heart"!

Earl pursued musical interests throughout his lifetime playing for dances and "jam'n" with various talented musicians throughout western S.D. In recent years, urged by Lucile to "give up those horses before you hurt yourself," he mastered the computerized keyboard. While accompanying himself on saxophone to pre-recorded piano tunes, he entertained often with his "one-man-band" at area nursing homes in Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Sturgis and New Underwood.

Earl was a charter member of the Golden Kiwanis, where he received the prestigious Hinson Award. He served as a board member of Meade Co. Housing, First United Methodist Church, and a charter and past board member of Meade Co. Sr. Citizens Association. He was an active member of Spearfish Sr. Citizens. An avid duplicate bridge player, he especially enjoyed the challenge of tournaments. He and Lucile were "Rockies" fans, watching every game on TV, and were able to attend a couple games at the Stadium, where a brick was placed in their names.

Earl's grandchildren adored and greatly admired him. Each grandchild developed a special mutual loving bond with him. Throughout their childhood and into adulthood, he shared in their individual interests effortlessly. He and Lucile not only actively participated in the rearing of their grandchildren, but dedicatedly attended activities and functions as their biggest fans.

Earl passed at home on October 30, 2006, following a hard-fought battle with colon cancer.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, granddaughters Pamela K. Ferguson, Ashley Nicole Ferguson and son-in-law Roger Hlavka.

Thankful for his zest for life, his guidance, his teachings and love are: Wife, Lucile; Children: Dale Ferguson and wife Erika; Jean Ann Quaal and husband Mick; Wesley Ferguson and wife Yvette; Grandchildren Lorie Melone Pestel and husband Mark; Edward Earl Hlavka and wife Tami; D'Anna Catterson and husband Ron, Debbie Ferguson, Jay Ferguson and wife Brooke, Drew Ferguson, Stacy Marchant and husband Devin, Kelly Quaal, Steve and Mike Pasquini; Great Grandchildren: Kaitlan and Taylor Melone, Jocelyn, Madaline and Jared Catterson, Tia Bella Hlavka, Taylor Sutton, Rylie Marchant and several nieces and nephews.