Ferguson, Mary Ruth, aged 108, died on February 22nd, 2018. She was born November 26, 1909 in Perkins, Payne County, Oklahoma to Dr. Ralph Winfrey and Florence Eleanor Holbrook. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Dr. Edmund Gordon Ferguson and her three brothers, Robert, Finley, and Ray Holbrook.
She is survived by her daughter Mary Gordon Taft and granddaughters Mireille Taft of Oklahoma City and Vanessa Taft of Westcliffe, Colorado. Also nieces Florence Hill and Raney McNaughton of Ft. Worth Texas, nephew Lee Holbrook of Yukon Oklahoma.
She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, the Cornish School of Speech in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority and received the Buffalo Mask from the OU speech department. She took a literature course sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution at Worcester College, Oxford University. She attended a spring session at the Alliance Français in Paris, France and a University of California sponsored session in Nepal and India. She had traveled much of the world.
She was president of the Oklahoma City Opera Association that brought the Metropolitan Opera to Oklahoma City until their touring policy was changed. She was a member of the regional executive boards of the Dallas Civic Opera and the Tulsa Opera.
She was a past member of the Oklahoma City University Opera and Theatre Society board. She was a founding member of the Lyric Theatre, serving for many years on the board. She was the founder and was president for the first three years of The Women's Committee, later the Oklahoma City Orchestra League. She arranged the tour committee for the Women’s Symphony League. For eight years groups of travelers toured Europe, the Far East and America bringing to musical organizations notice and recognition of the Oklahoma City Symphony. She served on the Board of Friends of the Symphony. She served on the board of The Civic Music Association.
She and Dr. Ferguson were members of The Lotus Club, the Seventy-five Club and the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club.
With Mrs. Nan Sheets she reorganized the Oklahoma Arts Council into the Oklahoma Arts Center (now the Oklahoma City Museum of Art) and was president for the first three years of the Oklahoma Arts Association Women's Group. She was a past president of the Oklahoma City Junior League during which time the Beaux Arts debutante ball was organized as a benefit for the Oklahoma Art Center. She was a past member of the Oklahoma County Historical Society. She was a member of the Winter Ball Charity committee and the Wednesday Study Club.
She belonged to two bridge clubs and played through her 101st year. She continued to read about current events and history until her death.
In 2009 she published her memoir Memory Stories.
The family wishes to express their gratitude to Cylandra, Deborah Jo, Elaine, Furnetta
and Roketta for their patient, kind care.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday March 3rd at 1:00 p.m. in St Mary’s Chapel at All Souls Episcopal Church, 63rd and North Pennsylvania.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to The Oklahoma Arts Institute or The Salvation Army.
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