In Memory Of
Warner Lee Ferguson
1935
2023
Warner Lee Ferguson
January 21, 1935 — December 9, 2023
Warner L Ferguson, 88, of Silver Lake, passed away on December 9, 2023 at Stormont Vail Hospital.
He was born January 21, 1935, to Oscar Nichols and Aline Woodard (Tilford) Ferguson, on a farm just South of Silver Lake and lived in Silver Lake his entire life. He was the youngest of six, with three brothers and two sisters.
He graduated from Silver Lake High School in 1953. He then attended Washburn University, graduating in 1957 with a BBA degree in Business Administration.
Warner served in the Army Reserves for 9 years where he achieved the rank of Sargent First Class. He was honorably discharged November 19, 1962.
Warner's employment history started at Ward's IGA in Silver Lake, where he worked during high school and college from 1951-1957. He worked for the Santa Fe Railway for one year after graduating college. He then worked for the Dupont Company in Topeka for three years, from 1958-1961. For the next 39 years Warner was employed by the University of Kansas Memorial Corporation where he worked for the Kansas University Student Union, rising to the position of Associate Director. He retired on June 30, 2000 only to continue working in a part-time role as Advisor to the Director for another 20 years. He fully retired in January of 2020 due to the pandemic after serving Kansas University for some 60 years. Somewhere in there, he served as the Silver Lake City Clerk for 16 years.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church where he served as pianist, starting when he was eight years old, and served in many additional positions over the years. He also was the pianist for the Silver Lake Community Choir for 25 years. He served on the Silver Lake Library Board. Warner was a member of the Silver Lake Alumni Scholarship Committee and was a member of the local XYZ Senior Citizens.
He was preceded in death by his, father; Oscar Ferguson, mother; Aline Ferguson, brothers; Clem Ferguson and Milton Ferguson, and sisters; Estelle Wyatt and Louise Glick.
Warner is survived by his brother, Harvey Ferguson (who passed three days after Warner), he is also survived by four nieces, three nephews, eleven great nieces, eight great nephews, nine great-great nieces, ten great-great nephews, two great-great-great nieces and one great-great-great nephew.
Visitation will be held Friday, January 5, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Silver Lake, 3439 NW Hoch Rd, Silver Lake, KS 66539.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 6, 2024, at the First Baptist Church of Silver Lake, Silver Lake, Kansas.
Interment will immediately follow the service at Silver Lake Cemetery, Silver Lake, Kansas.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Silver Lake or to the Topeka Rescue Mission, 600 N Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS 66608.
To share a memory of Warner or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.
He was born January 21, 1935, to Oscar Nichols and Aline Woodard (Tilford) Ferguson, on a farm just South of Silver Lake and lived in Silver Lake his entire life. He was the youngest of six, with three brothers and two sisters.
He graduated from Silver Lake High School in 1953. He then attended Washburn University, graduating in 1957 with a BBA degree in Business Administration.
Warner served in the Army Reserves for 9 years where he achieved the rank of Sargent First Class. He was honorably discharged November 19, 1962.
Warner's employment history started at Ward's IGA in Silver Lake, where he worked during high school and college from 1951-1957. He worked for the Santa Fe Railway for one year after graduating college. He then worked for the Dupont Company in Topeka for three years, from 1958-1961. For the next 39 years Warner was employed by the University of Kansas Memorial Corporation where he worked for the Kansas University Student Union, rising to the position of Associate Director. He retired on June 30, 2000 only to continue working in a part-time role as Advisor to the Director for another 20 years. He fully retired in January of 2020 due to the pandemic after serving Kansas University for some 60 years. Somewhere in there, he served as the Silver Lake City Clerk for 16 years.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church where he served as pianist, starting when he was eight years old, and served in many additional positions over the years. He also was the pianist for the Silver Lake Community Choir for 25 years. He served on the Silver Lake Library Board. Warner was a member of the Silver Lake Alumni Scholarship Committee and was a member of the local XYZ Senior Citizens.
He was preceded in death by his, father; Oscar Ferguson, mother; Aline Ferguson, brothers; Clem Ferguson and Milton Ferguson, and sisters; Estelle Wyatt and Louise Glick.
Warner is survived by his brother, Harvey Ferguson (who passed three days after Warner), he is also survived by four nieces, three nephews, eleven great nieces, eight great nephews, nine great-great nieces, ten great-great nephews, two great-great-great nieces and one great-great-great nephew.
Visitation will be held Friday, January 5, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Silver Lake, 3439 NW Hoch Rd, Silver Lake, KS 66539.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 6, 2024, at the First Baptist Church of Silver Lake, Silver Lake, Kansas.
Interment will immediately follow the service at Silver Lake Cemetery, Silver Lake, Kansas.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Silver Lake or to the Topeka Rescue Mission, 600 N Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS 66608.
To share a memory of Warner or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Warner Lee Ferguson, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Friday, January 5, 2024
4:00 - 7:00 pm (Central time)
First Baptist Church of Silver Lake
Service
Saturday, January 6, 2024
Starts at 10:00 am (Central time)
First Baptist Church of Silver Lake
Guestbook
Visits: 13
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