William (Bill) James Ferguson

William (Bill) James Ferguson, 77, passed away Sunday, March 31, 2024, at his Santaquin home, surrounded by his loving family after a brief but courageous battle with a brain tumor. It’s been an extremely difficult 18 months after the passing of the love of his life. We can only imagine the beautiful reunion they are having.

Bill was born October 6,1946, in American Fork, UT, to Howard Bowlden Ferguson and Elizabeth Green Ferguson. He grew up on the family farm in Orem where he loved to play sports and ski. On August 2, 1968 he married his high school sweetheart, JoAnn Elizabeth Jolley Ferguson for time and all eternity in the Logan Utah Temple. 

Shortly after their marriage, they built their family farm in Santaquin, UT, where they made their forever home. Together Bill and JoAnn worked side by side to create a beautiful life with their four daughters. Bill was very proud of his daughters, their accomplishments, and their work ethic. He cherished his time spent working alongside them on the family farm. 

Bill earned his teaching degree from BYU, but he could never trade the farm for the classroom, so he spent his life in the orchard, working hard to provide for his family. You could regularly find him watching sports and cheering for his favorites; the BYU Cougars, Utah Jazz and the LA Dodgers, often attending games in person with his best friend and brother Jerry.

One of his greatest joys in recent years was watching his kids and grandkids work together on the farm, especially during the cherry harvest. He always found jobs for everyone and made each kid feel important and valued as part of the team.

Bill was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings, most recently as an ordinance worker in the Payson temple. He was a faithful home teacher and loved caring for and developing life-long friendships with those in his ward. He had a love for the gospel of Jesus Christ and expressed that love through his generosity to others.

Bill is survived by his four daughters - Traci (Jay) Mecham of Mona, Utah; Trudi (Marcos) Lopez of Santaquin, Utah; Tori (Raul) Perez of Santaquin, Utah; Tiffany (TJ) Rhodes of Fielding, Utah, and his ten grandchildren. He also leaves behind his two older siblings, Colleen Cordner, and Jerry Ferguson. Bill was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn, and his parents. 

Funeral services will be held Thursday, April  4, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Santaquin North Stake Center located at 545 N 200 E, Santaquin, UT. A viewing will be held at Brown Family Mortuary on Wednesday, April 3, from 6:00 to 8:00pm. No viewing will be held on the Thursday before the service.  Interment will follow at the Santaquin City Cemetery.