Kenneth Ferguson

Kenneth Joe Ferguson, 84, of  Poteau, OK  passed away Wednesday, March 2, 2016 in Poteau.  Kenneth was born September 18, 1931 in Tipton, OK to Joe Edgar & Leottie Meda (Wilkes) Ferguson.       Kenneth was  the first president of the Choctaw Nation Historical Society (name is on a plaque on the Choctaw Council House). He received grant from the federal government to have the Choctaw council house restored, museum introduced, gift shop and RV park built.  He was instrumental in finding the current location of the Choctaw clinic.  He helped to get the old mines and strip pits filled in.  He was instrumental in having the Cavanal bypass built & had flood control structures built to keep Wister from flooding.  Ken was instrumental in building Leflore county transfer stations.  He was a Drill sergeant in military.  Scout for the 245th tank battalion, 45th infantry, Korea & offered to go to Officer training school in military.  He offered to be sent to Harvard University to become a state conservationist.    Ken was an avid hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman, beekeeper, pecan cracking business, combining business.  He loved working with people especially farmers and ranchers. He was an avid church goer attending  First Baptist for many years then  the Nazarene church later in life.  Ken was a  great father and educator.  He loved to travel and visited all fifty states and many European and Asian countries.   He was not real political but was a defender of equal rights and justice for all.  Ken was a people person.  He could talk to anyone about anything.   He was a graduate of Oklahoma A&M in 1956. Kenneth was retired from the LeFlore County District Soil & Water Conservation office where he worked for 26 years and then went into the Forestry Service for another 10 years.  At one time he kept 50 bee hives and worked with combined harvested grass and clover seeds.   He was preceded in death by his wives, Margie Ann (Hayes) Ferguson & Wanda (Galland)  Ferguson.

    Survivors include his daughter, Barbara Thompson and husband Marshall of Ft. Walton Beach, FL; son, Stanley and wife Susan of Norman, OK; stepson, Ron Bizzell and wife, Grace of Poteau; brothers, Alvin & wife Julia of Junction City, KS, Eddie & wife Diana of Terrell, TX; many cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

    Services will be 2 pm, Sunday, March 6, 2016 at Evans Chapel of Memories, Poteau, OK with burial in Oakland Cemetery, Poteau.  Pallbearers will be Ed Abernathy,  Nick Lambeth, B.J. Robertson, Chris Knudsen, Stanley Ferguson, Marshall Thompson, Paul Ferguson, Ron Bizzell, Alvin Ferguson, Eddie Ferguson & Isaiah Bizzell.