James Arthur Ferger

JAMES ARTHUR FERGER James Arthur Ferger, age 72, of Wilmington passed away peacefully Sunday, November 29, 2015 at Lower Cape Fear Hospice. He was born January 10, 1943 in Wilmington to parents James Ferger and Dora Bostick Ferger, and spent the first three years of his life at Orton Plantation. He attended New Hanover High School and graduated from The University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a degree in Biology. He married Donna Lee Batdorff in 1973. He worked as a Landscape Architect and contributed his talents to many residential homes in Wilmington. He also designed the landscaping for the grounds of Fort Fisher Aquarium and the lawn of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church. As a member of the Sierra Club and the National Audubon Society, Jim was a lifelong advocate for coastal preservation and championed the protection of Masonboro Island and wild bird sanctuaries. Jim actively participated in the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Wilmington and served on the Board of Directors for the Ocean House of Wilmington, which provides structured rehabilitation activities for adults with persistent mental illness. He loved to draw and excelled at photography. In the early 1990s, a exhibit of his photography was on display at Art Quest Gallery, in downtown Wilmington. In his leisure time, he enjoyed hiking, canoeing, and bird watching with his family. He greatly appreciated the friendship and fellowship he found as a lifelong member Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church. Left to cherish his memory is his devoted wife of 42 years, Donna Ferger; daughter Melissa Daniel and husband Chris; grandson Evan and granddaughter Chloe; daughter Rachel Russell and husband Jason; brother George Ferger and wife Mary; sister Alice Allen; and sister Frances Carroll and husband Harry James. The family thanks the Lower Cape Fear Hospice Foundation, which provided incredible care the last few months of his life. A Celebration of Life will take place Friday, December 4, 11:00 am, at Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, 1401 South College Road, Wilmington, NC. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memorial to James Ferger to the Lower Cape Fear Hospice Foundation, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401, www.hospiceandlifecarecenter.org.