The Rev. Father Sumner Ferguson passed away Saturday June 7 2008 in Ormond Beach Fla. Funeral services will be held Wednesday June 11 at 4 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church with the Rev. Stephen Morris officiating and with Father Augie Sorvillo and Father Jim Taylor assisting. His family will receive friends in St. James Chapel preceding the service from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Father Ferguson was born in Seaside Ore. and grew up in South Bend Ind. During his high school years he had the honor of playing basketball for legendary coach John Wooden. He served in the Navy amphibious forces in World War II where he participated in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He attended college under the G.I. bill at Ripon College in Ripon Wis. graduating in 1950. While at Ripon he met and married his wife Frances Landers on July 1st 1950. He then attended seminary at Seabury Western Evanston Ill. graduating in 1953. He then began his career as an Episcopal priest. He was ordained to the deaconate in 1952 and was ordained an Episcopal priest in March 1953. After serving at various parishes in Hobart Ind. and Chicago Ill. he was called to St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church in Titusville Fla. where he served as rector from 1960 to 1967. While rector of St. Gabriel's he established a kindergarten program and was the director of numerous youth camps. In 1967 Father Ferguson was called to St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Daytona Beach where he served as a rector from 1967 till his retirement in 1987. While serving at St. Mary's he was instrumental in establishing Loutitt Manner a government subsidized apartment building in Daytona Beach and in establishing Volusia County's first organization for the protection of victims of domestic violence the Domestic Violence Coalition. Father Ferguson was a longtime Rotarian a member of the Halifax River Yacht club a founding member of the Wolf Laurel Country Club in Mars Hill N.C. and a member of the Quarterback Club of Daytona Beach. Father Ferguson was an avid sports fan and served as a Chaplin for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also coached the St. James basketball team to numerous Christian league basketball titles. Father Ferguson was also very active in numerous Episcopal diocesan committees. Father Ferguson is survived by his wife of 57 years Frances Ferguson; and their two children Kathy Woodard (Gerald Woodard son-in-law) Ormond Beach and David Ferguson Ormond Beach; as well as six grandchildren Jonathan Graham Lauren Kaynie Alec and Michael. Father Ferguson will be greatly missed by his family and all those who he ministered to throughout his career. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com. Memorial donations may be made in Fr. Ferguson's memory to St. James Episcopal School 44 S. Halifax Dr. Ormond Beach FL 32176. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond.