James Homer Ferguson

BLOOMINGTON -- James Homer Ferguson, 73, of Bloomington, longtime local attorney, died Tuesday at the Bloomington Hospital in Bloomington. Born July 8, 1928, in Bloomington, he was the son of Luther S. and Arline E. (Middleton) Ferguson. A 1946 graduate of University High School, he attended Indiana University where he received his A.B. in 1950 and his J.D. in 1953 (with distinction, Order of the Coif). He was admitted to the Indiana Bar in 1953 and founded the firm of Ferguson & Ferguson where he worked until his death. He was also admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, and the U.S. Court of Military Appeals. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a 1st Lt. Judge Advocate General. Mr. Ferguson served as the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney in 1954. He was also a member and past president of the Monroe County Bar Association as well as an active member of the Indiana State Bar Association. He chaired the I.S.B.A. Seminar on Corporation Law from 1988 - 1989, the Corporation, Banking & Business Law Section from 1988 to 1991, was Editor of Corporation Law Manual in 1989 and the Seminar on Not-for-Profit Corporations in 1990. He was also a member of the American Bar Association. He served as an adjunct professor of Legislation at the Indiana University School of Law. Former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh was his best-known student. Mr. Ferguson was also a partner with D&F Real Estate and Warehouse Developers, Hayes/Ferguson Housing Consultants which is active in development of senior citizens housing and a director of the Public Investment Corporation. Mr. Ferguson also held memberships in the Acacia fraternity (past president of the building corporation), a member of Phi Delta Phi Honorary legal fraternity, St. Mark's United Methodist Church, having served as Chairman of Board of Trustees in 1979, Monroe Lodge No. 22, F.&A.M., Scottish Rite Valley of Indianapolis, Murat Shrine Temple, Stone Belt Shrine Club of Monroe County (Past President, 1973), Elks Lodge No. 446, American Legion, I.U. Varsity Club, the Hoosier Hundred and life member of the I.U. Alumni Association. He also served as Committee Chairman of Boy Scout Troop 9 from 1968-1972 and was a board member and former treasurer of the Hilltop Education Foundation. The Acacia fraternity honored Mr. Ferguson by naming him to the Order of Pythagoras. He received the National Council Award of Merit in 1980 and the George Patterson Award in 2000. Governor Otis Bowen named him Sagamore of the Wabash and he was a Kentucky Colonel. Mr. Ferguson is survived by his loving family, wife Ellen (Ball) Ferguson of Bloomington, whom he married Feb. 1, 1953; daughter Nancy Ellen Ferguson of Greenbrae, Calif., daughter and son-in-law, Susanna Ferguson Kempf and George Kempf of Indianapolis; sons and daughters-in-law, Theodore James Ferguson and Lee Ann Merry and David Luther and Tyler Kate Ferguson, all of Bloomington; sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ann and John Seeber of Bloomington; brother and sister-in-law, Stephen Luther and Connie Ferguson of Bloomington; and five grandchildren. An avid golf enthusiast, he was a fan of I.U. athletics. In his later years he spent many enjoyable hours with family and grandchildren. There were many memorable Christmases spent in Sanibel, Fla. Likewise, the family expresses appreciation to all the caregivers who have delivered care to Jim during his time of illness. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 B.B. Thursday at St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Bloomington with Rev. J. William Keith officiating. Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens. Friends may call from 4 to 8 B.B. today at Allen Funeral Home in Bloomington. Memorial contributions may be made to Hilltop Educational Foundation in care of the Indiana University Foundation, P.O. Box 500, Bloomington, IN 47402-0500.