Obituary of Donald Ferguson

Passed away peacefully at home on December 10, 2016 with his family by his side. Beloved husband of June (and Jeannette deceased). Loving father of Marque (deceased), Chris (Karen), Sue (Craig), Tim (Angela), Leah (Paul) and Sarah (Rick). Proud grandfather of Michael, Kevin, Jennifer, Nicole, Jacqueline, Marque, Jessica, Rachel, Kai, Avery and great-grandfather of Liam, Emily, Chloe and Libby. He is survived by his sister Rosemary Debonis. He will be greatly missed by his extended family and many friends. Don was a passionate and multi-dimensional person. He poured his heart and energy into all that he undertook. As a young man he excelled in sports. In his career, he was a forward thinking man, very generous to all that he worked with; he led with integrity and ethics. He was a man of action that was tempered by his very compassionate nature. Community was of the utmost importance to him. He was generous to help those in need not just financially but with his contribution to leadership. He has donated his leadership and organizational skills to Rotary International; Horizon - focusing on long- term change to the root causes of poverty Central America; Unionvilla - a charitable long-term facility; Evergreen Hospice - providing community based support services to individuals and their families living with life-threatening illness or coping with the death of a loved one; and most recently, The Frank Scarpitti Charitable Foundation - providing financial aid to those in need in the local community. Don was guided by his faith and practiced the tenets of his faith every day of his life. He supported his church in the way that he supported his community. He had a unique gift of empowering people to guide themselves and making all who he interacted with feel special and wanted. He was a good man and will be remembered with love by all who knew him. We are all better for the experience. It has been said to seek your resting place not in the ground, but in the hearts of the people that you have known. Don has accomplished that. Visitation will be held at the DIXON-GARLAND FUNERAL HOME, 166 Main Street N. (Markham Road), Markham on Sunday, December 18, 2016 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, December 19, 2016 at St. Patrick's Parish,5633 Highway #7, Markham at 11 a.m. Reception will follow. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Evergreen Hospice, Markham.