William Luby Bill Ferguson

William Luby Bill Ferguson passed away at home surrounded by his family on Saturday, December 13, 2014 after a 4 year courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Bill was born in Morristown, NJ on September 21, 1956 to Helen Teresa DiRienzo and John Palmer Ferguson. Bill spent his early childhood in Millington, NJ and in Quogue, NY. At age 12, Bill moved to Nassau in the Bahamas after his mother married his stepfather Roger Blackshaw. There he attended Queens College. His high school years were at Lawrenceville Prep School in Princeton, NJ though he spent his junior year abroad in Thailand while his father studied Theravada Buddhism for his PhD in Anthropology. Bill then attended Boston University where he met his future wife in a chemistry class. Quickly realizing that medicine was not going to be his calling, he transferred to the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service where he studied International Relations. While at Georgetown, he began working on old townhouses and realized that this was where his passion truly lay. He developed a lifelong love of historic preservation which combined his interests in history, architecture and hands-on carpentry skills. In 1980 he moved back to Boston where he spent over a decade restoring homes on Beacon Hill, in Back Bay, Newton and Hyde Park. In 1990 he married his college sweetheart Marzena Laszewski, a union which produced two wonderful daughters Sophie and Emily. The family relocated to Fairfax, VA in 1993 so that Bill could attend Mary Washington College which was one of the first schools to offer a degree in Historic Preservation. Bill graduated with distinction in 1997 and furthered his education by obtaining a Masters Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999. The family had relocated to Rocky Mount in 1997 after his wife joined Boice-Willis Clinic as a primary care physician. Bill enjoyed a thriving career in Eastern North Carolina having worked on many projects in the region including Stonewall Manor, Bracebridge Hall, Oaky Grove, the Power Plant, Bryan Drugstore, mill villages houses @ Rocky Mount Mills as well as many private homes in the area. Bill was blessed by many wonderful clients who also became friends. Bills research helped convince the Rocky Mount City Council that the Imperial Tobacco complex could be transformed into a cultural center which is now The Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences. Bill will be remembered for his eternal optimism even in the face of a cruel illness, his sense of humor, his athleticism, his love of nature and the outdoors as well as his great knowledge on multiple subjects aside from his field of expertise--including history (Civil War, WWI and WWII), architecture, sports (the Boston Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots being his favorite teams), old movies and trivia in general. Bill has been a faithful husband and a loving father and brother. Bill was predeceased by his parents, his stepmother Catherine Ferguson, his stepbrother Gilbert Blackshaw and his father-in-law Boleslaw Laszewski. Bill is survived by his wife Marzena Laszewski and two daughters Sophie and Emily Ferguson, his brother Duncan Ferguson and wife Bernadette of Amherst, MA, a sister Barbara Harper of Peyton,CO, stepsister Christina Hanks and husband Nick of Cobbleskill, NY and Johannesburg, South Africa, stepbrother Peter Johannsen and wife Muffy of Wellesley, MA, stepbrothers Richard Blackshaw and his wife Anne of Mundelein, IL and Roger Blackshaw and his wife Kathy of Palm Desert, CA, his stepfather Roger Blackshaw of New York, NY and Nassau, Bahamas and a special nephew Pete Johannssen and his wife Julia of Boston, MA. Bill is also survived by his wifes familysisters-in-law Barbara Garner and her husband Ian of Nashville, TN, Dorothy Polomis and her husband Ted of Marshfield Hills, MA and his mother-in-law Zofia Laszewski of Nashville, TN. The family would like to thank the multiple doctors and caregivers involved in Bills care over the past 4 years including Dr. Grace Jere, Dr. Doug Harrison, Dr. Michael Spiritos, Dr. Laura Jacimore, Dr. Mark Anderson, Dr. Priyank Desai, Dr. Tillman Bailey, Dr. Stacey Rawls, Ms. Omobola Gold, Dr. Theodore Pappas, Dr. Carole Hahn, Dr. Doug Boyette, Elizabeth Davis, RN and Nancy Strickland, RN. A memorial service to celebrate Bills life will take place at The Church of the Good Shepherd on Saturday, January 10, 2015 with Rev. Matt Johnson officiating. Visitation will be on Friday, January 9, 2015 from 4-6 PM at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Bills memory to Preservation Rocky Mount, PO Box 175, R. Mt., NC 27802, The University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Ave., Fredericksburg, VA 22401 in memory of William L. Ferguson 97, The Church of the Good Shepherd, 231 N. Church St, R. Mt. 27804 or to Friends Hospice of Nash General, Curtis Ellis Dr., R. Mt. 27804. Arrangements are entrusted to Melanie Little Funerals. Condolences may be sent to www.melanielittlefunerals.com. Bills wish for everyone is Dont worry. Be happy. and for his family to remain in the words of his brother Ferguson Strong.