Virginia Mae Ferguson

Virginia Mae was born in Boles, Arkansas on April 11, 1926 to Floyd Denton Taylor and Lissie Dell Reed Taylor. She had two sisters: Imogene Norwood and Jewel Dean Minnie and three brothers: Earnest Lee Moss, Billy Joe Taylor and Jimmy Don Taylor. At the age of 16, she married Leon Webster Ferguson in Oceola, Arkansas. In 1946 they packed up their two girls, Claudette and Mary Ann, and followed the oil business to McCamey, Texas where they grew their family with the addition of Franky, Ricky, Lee Ann and Ben. She spent the early days raising the kids and helping Leon with his growing mechanic business. Through the years, she wore many hats: Mom, bookkeeper, an apartment manager, and a pumper. But she’s best known for her 34 years as a cashier at the local grocery store and worked full time until she retired at the age of 90. She outlasted several owners of the store and always joked that she got sold with the store when it changed hands.

Those who know Virginia know she didn’t sit still. When she wasn’t working, she loved to travel, preferably by plane. One of her all-time favorite trips was fairly recent when she travelled to Hawaii and visited Pearl Harbor. She often said she remembered the day it happened.

She also loved to read and sew and was even caught painting the house, much to her children’s dismay.

In 2011, after living in McCamey for 65 years, Virginia was pleased to be named the McCamey Pioneer of the Year.

Virginia is survived by daughter Mary Ann Partney and her husband Richard of McCamey, son Frank Ferguson and his wife Veronica of Seminole, son Rick Ferguson and his wife Rose of Rankin, daughter Lee Ann Mettlach and her husband Bruce of Monett, Missouri and son Ben Ferguson and his wife Kelly of Midland as well as sister Jewell Dean Minnie of Plainview, AR; brother Billy Joe Taylor of Midland and Jimmy Don Taylor of Odessa.

She was blessed with 20 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren, 11 great, great grandchildren and 1 great, great, great grandchild as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Leon, daughter Claudette, grandson Clayton Davis; her brother, Earnest and her sister, Imogene.

Viewing and services will be held at Shaffer-Nichols Funeral Home chapel located at 1000 FM 1901 in McCamey, Texas. Viewing will be on Monday, May 27th from 11:00 am – 8:00 pm and services will be Tuesday, May 28th at 2:00. Interment will follow at Crane County Cemetery in Crane, Texas.

Pallbearers are Leslie Tipton, David Munoz, Brant Ferguson, Garrett Lance, Anthony Lawhone, Dallas Martinez, Scott Bondy and Bruce Mettlach.