Anthony Fergerson mourned

Son of pioneer art curator Cecil Ferguson, laid to rest

By Shirley Hawkins
OW Staff Writer

Anthony Ferguson, the son of Cecil and Laura Vaughn Ferguson, succumbed on February 22 from double pneumonia. He was 51 years old.

The second son of pioneer African American art curator Cecil Ferguson, Anthony was remembered as a big hearted, kind and loving husband, brother and father.
A strapping, 6 ft. 4 inches and 220 pounds, family and friends say that Anthony was always the life of the party and thrived on attention.

“He was one of those people who was very strong willed and very opinionated, but he was kind and he would give you the shirt off his back,” recalls his stepmother, Miriam Ferguson. “He’d go out of his way to do things for you. Anthony had a good sense of humor and loved to make people laugh. He was a good father. He made some poor choices in his life, but he was able to turn his life around. He counseled others who struggled with addictive behavior and helped them through the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 step program.”

A 1974 graduate of Washington High School, Anthony enjoyed playing basketball and spending time with friends. A postal worker for many years, Anthony eventually became an inspector for Home Depot.
Cecil Ferguson said of his son, “Anthony had a wonderful zest for life--he loved and honored God.”

Kinte Ferguson, 31, Anthony’s younger brother and also an art curator, recalls his brother’s generosity of spirit and that he was skillful with his hands. “If you ever needed anything, Anthony would stop whatever he was doing and help you. One time, I was installing some art in a client’s home and a special mount needed to be made that I did not have the skills at the time to make. I called Anthony in a panic because I was just getting started in the business. My brother, who was at work, dropped everything and drove all the way across town to help me. He saved the day,” Kinte recalls.

Roslyn Ferguson, Anthony’s wife, said, “I’ll miss the way Anthony made me laugh. He joked with everybody. When we held the memorial for Anthony at the Watts Labor Community Action Committee on February 28, nearly 300 people attended. Anthony helped save a lot of people from crack cocaine. People would call Anthony on the phone and say, ‘My son’s in trouble, can you help me?’ and Anthony would come to their aid and provide assistance and counseling.”

Pausing, Roslyn added that she would always cherish the fond memories of her husband. “We spent a lifetime in the five years that we knew each other,” she reflected. “I am thankful that I was able to share his best years with him.”
Darrell Ferguson, 53, Anthony’s older brother, recalls, “Anthony never took a step backwards, whether it was in business or in a social setting. He was always confident about himself. I’ll miss his laugh and his big smile.”

Left to cherish Anthony’s memory are his wife Rosalyn, his eight children, Lorraine, Lorene Houde, Patience, Amonie, Antone, Anontia, Jasmine and Sterling; his father Cecil and stepmother Miriam, his brothers, Darrell, John, and Kinte; his sisters, Regina Reed, Melanie Montgomery and nieces Evette, Ebony, and Nia; his nephews, Darrell II, Gaius, Thomas, Cecil, John III, Alexander, Charles III, Justin and Joel; his aunts, Jewel Tillman, Joyce Bowie, an uncle, David Ferguson; six grandchildren and a host of cousins, relatives and friends.


Rest in peace Anthony Fergerson
August 21, 1956 - February 22, 2008



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