Monday, June 29, 2009

Longtime Mim supporter Jennifer Ferguson passes away

Jennifer died earlier this month. She was a former Mim camper and staffer and a dedicated supporter of camp. My condolences to her family and all her good friends from camp.

--John F.

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Jennifer Ann Ferguson, age 30, of Madera, California passed away on Monday, June 8, 2009, suddenly to the shock and great sadness of all who knew her. She lived her life to the fullest devoting much of her time to work in a wonderful career as an industrial engineer that she had worked so diligently to achieve. When not at work, her exuberance for life was shared with her boyfriend, Michael Sierze, and close friends including Bobby, Bobbi, Gail, Connie, Fred, Michael Yung, and many others.

Jennifer was born on May 5, 1979, in Billings Mt., the youngest of four children born to Mark and Sharon Ferguson. She graduated from Billings West High School in 1997, and went on to graduate from Montana State University, in Bozeman, Mt. with a degree in Industrial and Management Engineering in 2001. After college, she went to work for JBT FoodTech (Formerly FMC Food Tech) in Madera, Ca. at the beginning of 2003, where she worked the rest of her brilliant, short life. In 2004 Jennifer earned her APICS CPIM (Certified in Production and Inventory Management). She served as a board member on the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of APICS for two years, and completed the chapter's own Trainthe-Trainer program to become an APICS Instructor. Jennifer's generosity of time to her fellow employees and her community included mentoring at the local high school and providing leadership in the employee activity committee (SPARK), especially in the monthly events and the company scholarship and grant golf tournament benefiting the children of Madera schools.

Jennifer was baptized at Mayflower Congregational Church in Billings as a child. She loved being a part of nature, was an avid camper, and later on joined the staff at Camp Mimanagish near McLeod, Mt. She made several loving, lifelong friends there. Jennifer's faith was an important part of her life and most recently she was an active member of the College Community Congregational Church in Fresno, Ca.

Jennifer is survived by her loving and devoted family, parents, Mark and Sharon Ferguson of Billings; her sister Gina; brother-in-law Greg; nephew Tyler; niece Kirstin of Billings; brother James; sister-in-law Candice; niece Téaghan of Denver, Co.; brother John and his significant other Dorothy; nieces Baily, Elizabeth, and Arionna; and nephews Trai and Cooper of Billings.

The family will honor Jennifer's wishes by bringing her ashes home to Montana for her final resting place.

A Viewing will be held at Jay Chapel, on Friday, June 12, 2009, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

A Funeral Service will be held at Jay Chapel in Madera on Friday, June 12, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Camp Mimanagish, Jennifer Ferguson, c-o Montana-Northern Wyoming UCC, 2016 Alderson Ave., Billings, Mt. 59102.