Lester Jay Ferguson, Jr., 90, passed away peacefully in Paramus, NJ on October 17, 2016.
Born on September 28, 1926 in New York City to Lester Jay Ferguson, Sr. and Margaret Tomey Minnick, he was raised in N. Arlington, NJ with his brother, Gerald. An Army veteran trained as a paratrooper during World War II and subsequent graduate of Union College, Lester went on to earn master’s degrees in Psychology (Temple University, 1952), Mathematics (Stevens Institute of Technology, 1967), Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1985).
Lester was a dedicated professor who spent three decades teaching mathematics at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU). He was known as a tough professor whom former students recall fondly for his outstanding teaching, ability to “see the uniqueness of each individual,” and his coveted math guides that may still circulate. During his tenure at FDU, and as chair of the math department, Professor Ferguson was actively involved in the American Federation of Teachers, serving as president in 1974. He played a significant role in campaigning for the union to represent the faculty of FDU, an effort that ultimately did not prosper.
Lester’s kindness touched many in the community of Rutherford and beyond. Upon his retirement from FDU in 1992, he began volunteering at the local senior center, Kip Center in Rutherford, delivering meals, driving members to doctor appointments and to see the cherry blossoms, and teaching his peers about computers and current events. Lester was a civic minded man who believed in the power of education, leading to his election as a trustee on both the Board of Education and the New Jersey School Board, positions he held concurrently from 1995-2001, and 2002-2003. He was also active with the Veterans Alliance, and enjoyed participating in yearly Memorial Day parades.
At home, Lester was a gentle patriarch whose love of learning and community was matched only by his unflagging support of family. After a first marriage to Ruth M. Williams, he met, wooed with a telescope on the roof, and in 1958 married his beloved Pamela Mary Goodrich of Sheffield, England, who predeceased him in 2004. There was a certain infamous incident with a pie, too... Lester’s legacy includes six children: Diane, Nicola, Stephanie, Andrew, Douglas, and Jennifer; 12 grandchildren: Allison, Carmine III, Jocelyn, Gillian, Hillary, Olivia, Brian, Kasey, Kody, Cole, Shea, and Kaira; and 5 great grandchildren: Kaylin, Kinsey, Alba, Alaia, and Roman.
Lester’s children will remember him for all the love he bestowed upon them over the years, building box kites and beach forts, spending summers on Long Beach Island (LBI), stopping along the way to clear toads from the road, going on mystery adventures, teaching them electrical theory at the tender age of six, taking part in school science projects, cooking specially shaped pancakes, and invoking the mysterious Lemon Curd Fairy on Christmas. The ever present mustache, besmirched with bemusement, would twitch left and right as he chased around the little ones shrieking with laughter, “Snorkel snorkel snorkel, give me a kiss!”
During the summers Lester brought his family down to LBI for vacation, at the home that he and Pamela purchased in Ship Bottom in the 1960s, and he would return to work during the week in northern New Jersey, coming down on the weekends. The shore property inspired a lifelong love of gardening and beach restoration. His research into dune replenishment and native coastal plants, including the use of discarded Christmas trees and seaweed to assist in the buildup of sand, was a technique that was noticed and studied by others, and eventually became part of the township's policy in shoring up the dunes.
Later in life, Lester pursued part-time work teaching online math courses, and enjoyed birding, his feline buddies, and astronomy. He spent his time researching the family tree, reading up on the history of New Jersey, the Civil War and the World Wars, listening to classical music, and gardening with a soft spot for the wildflowers. Proud of his Scottish heritage, Lester would sport his Ferguson tartan tie now and again and blast the bagpipes. He was passionate about peace and fighting racism, pointing out how even seemingly harmless ethnic jokes perpetuate racism and dehumanize other cultures. It was important, he taught, to care for all people and all of nature.
May your transition be as gentle as you were in life to your loved ones, Lester Jay. Rest in peace.
A viewing will be held on Monday, October 24, 2016, at 10:00 A.M. followed by an 11:30 A.M. service at Calhoun-Mania Funeral Home, 19 Lincoln Avenue in Rutherford, with interment at Evergreen Cemetery in Hillside. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Kip Center, 55 Kip Ave, Rutherford NJ 07070 or online at http://greatnonprofits.org/org/55-kip-center

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