Dorothy Ferguson, 94, of Mechanicsville, passed away peacefully March 14, 2022, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Visitation was held Friday, March 18, 2022, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services in Mount Vernon with funeral services on Saturday, March 19, 2022. A private family burial followed at Rose Hill Cemetery in Mechanicsville.
Dorothy was born Sept. 17, 1927, to James and Marguerite (Brasseur) Bradley in Lang, Saskatchewan, Canada. As a child, her family moved to the United States and settled in Cedar Rapids. In 1945, Dorothy graduated from Franklin high school and then went to Mount Mercy College where she earned her teaching degree in 1947. She accepted a teaching position with the Mechanicsville School and in the fall of 1947, packed her suitcase, got on a bus, and traveled to her new town and job.
Dorothy continued to teach in Mechanicsville, later Lincoln school system for 40 years before retiring. She immediately signed up to substitute and continued to ‘go to school’ almost daily for another 17 years. In 2002, she was honored with a Friend of Literacy award from the Cedar Rapids Area Reading Council.
Soon after arriving in Mechanicsville, she met a young farmer recently home from the Navy – Dave Ferguson. They were married in 1950, within a few years had purchased a farm and had two children, beginning a 55-year life in the country. In 2008, they bought a house in Mechanicsville and remained there for ten years until health issues had them moving to the Rehabilitation Center of Lisbon.
Besides teaching, Dorothy was active with many organizations in the community: The Legion Auxiliary, Eastern Star, Presbyterian Women, Garden Club, Beta Nu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority and several years on the board of the Cedar County Work Activities Center in Tipton.
Dorothy is survived by her husband, Dave; daughter, Cindy (Ed) Musselman; granddaughter, Carrie Musselman (Jeff Melcher); grandson, Seth (Cheryl) Ferguson; great-grandchildren, Kinzey, Kolton and Kira Ferguson and Lexi Furry and nieces, Terri Mengler and Julie Fitch.
She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Brad; sister, Elizabeth (Evan) Mengler and in-laws, Barbara (Orin) Wallick, Richard Ferguson and Walt and Loretta Ferguson.
The family extends a thank you to the Rehabilitation Center of Lisbon and nurses on the 4th floor of St. Luke’s for their wonderful and compassionate care during Dorothy’s stay.
Memorials are suggested to Camp Courageous, the Mechanicsville Library, or charity of the donor’s choice. Friends and family unable to attend are invited to watch the service via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Dorothy’s Tribute Wall and share your support and memories with her family at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.
Dorothy Ferguson
March 24, 2022