Max FERGUSON

Max Ferguson
At Northumberland Hills Hospital on March 7th, 2013. Dear husband and friend, much loved and loving father, devoted dog owner, masterful story teller, honoured CBC radio humourist and host. Born in Crook, England, Max was raised and educated in London, Ontario where he attended the University of Western Ontario, intending to become a teacher. A job at CFPL radio in London sidetracked him, and led to an announcer's position with CBC Halifax. There he created one of the CBC's most popular radio shows with a cast of many characters including Rawhide, Marvin Mellobell and Granny, who, along with a number of others, shared the stage simultaneously on live radio. Later in his 52-year radio career, he hosted a daily radio satire show, using his skill for impersonating Canadian politicians, heading into the studio early in the morning to scan the morning's news for material. He wrote and performed his famous skits under tight deadlines, sometimes with as little as five minutes to air time, backed by his talented CBC sound effects crew. In his later years, he hosted a weekly program of esoteric folk music, promoting emerging Canadian artists, and pioneering the genre of world folk music. A true radio host, he respected his audience, and answered every single letter he received from them. The recipient of five honourary university degrees, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, awarded the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Achievement in Broadcasting, and the John Drainie Award for his significant contributions to Canadian Broadcasting, and earned many other performing arts awards. He was awarded the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour for his first book And Now Here's Max. He wrote several children's books, narrated National Film Board productions including The Cremation of Sam McGee, and was the original voice of the Marvel Comic character The Hulk. His eclectic, long and rich career also included performing a variety of voices for children's programming on TV Ontario. From his early career days on, he never lost his love for Cape Breton. He was down-to-earth, modest, eccentric, principled, and opinionated with a finely attuned detector of hypocrisy and cant. An imaginative, and adventurous man, he panned for gold, hunted for morels, cut firewood, raised bees, and made maple syrup. In the kitchen, his fortes were his bread and rum-soaked Christmas cakes. To his family, he gave a wondrous childhood. To his friends, his gifts were funny and fascinating stories, to his wife constant love, and, for all, laughter. He is survived by his wife Pauline, sons Scott, Bill and Tony, daughters Nancy, Nonie and Ann, his grandchildren, brothers-and-sisters- in-law and their children. In memory of Max, donations may be made to The Farley Foundation in Milton, Ontario which provides assistance to those in need who require help with the cost of caring for their pets, or to the Cobourg Public Library. Our deep gratitude to the doctors and nursing staff at The Northumberland Hills Hospital for their fine care. A reception in Max's memory will be held at a later date.