Paula Ferguson

Yarmouth- Paula Ferguson peacefully passed away on July 2, 2024. She looked forward to connecting with family gone before. Born December 6, 1952, Paula Louise Erlandson was brought home to 30 Virginia Road, Arlington, MA by her parents, Arthur and Margaret Erlandson, joining older sister Jeanne Marie and, later, younger brothers Daniel Arthur and William John. Baptized and confirmed at St. Camillus Church in Arlington, Paula eventually attended Cyrus E. Dallin elementary school. She then attended Junior High West (now Ottoson Middle School) and Arlington High School, graduating in 1970. In 1974, she graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. At Skidmore, she majored in biochemistry which prepared her for her first professional job at UMass Medical Center (The Joslin Diabetes Clinic), hired by Drs. Arthur Like and Mike Appel; the scanning electron microscope was her specialty.

Paula met her future husband Bruce Ferguson on a blind date in Boston on February 7, 1977. Bruce was smitten the moment he saw her. On Valentine’s Day 1977, Bruce sent a bouquet of flowers to the Joslin. A week later, a second date, this time to see “Rocky”, ending with a goodnight kiss under the Prudential in her red VW bug. Their 3rd date was dinner at The Half Shell on Boylston Street where he won her heart over boiled shrimp.

Over the next 2 years, they would meet each other on weekends, either at Bruce’s old farmhouse in Buxton or Paula’s apartment in Worcester. In the Fall of ’77, Bruce proposed (three times; she made him earn it) and they were married at St. Camillus on May 26, 1979. It was a rainy but joyous day. Paula worked in the Immunology Lab at Maine Med, and Bruce founded ImmunoSystems in 1981 (risky but with Paula’s enthusiastic backing) in a one room garage in Kennebunk. Together over the years they raised two energetic boys, Sam (1983) and Doug (1986). Millipore Corp acquired ImmunoSytems, and Bruce, in 1992. Three years later, Bruce founded EnviroLogix (Portland), again with Paula’s full support. Around 2000, Paula came to work there “part time” in product development, and never left. She was admired and respected by all, mentoring many lab techs for the next 10 years. EnviroLogix was acquired by Ensign-Bickford Industries in 2010 and the couple retired in 2012.

For years, they rejoiced in taking golf vacations with their sons; Kiawah Island, Orlando, The Greenbriar, The Boulders, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and even Scotland (sans children). Paula and Bruce built a home on Callawassie Island, SC in 2008, vacationing - and golfing - whenever possible. They followed the sun to Bonita Bay, FL in 2017. They returned to Callawassie in 2020 for the winter months after building a new home in Yarmouth in May 2020. As Paula said, “just when everything was going great”, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor on her 44th wedding anniversary, May 26, 2023. Paula did not yield to her awful disease, enduring radiation and chemo all summer 2023. She spent her final 2024 Callawassie winter having chemo every 2 weeks and battling this dreadful illness. This was difficult physically, mentally and spiritually as she reconnected with her Catholic roots. She spent each day “hanging in there”. She truly believed a cure would come tomorrow.

Paula was loved by a large circle of friends. If you met her, you were drawn to her energy, empathy, kindness and smile. Her family was the most important part of her life; Sam and Doug could do no wrong and Bruce always tried hard. She loved her mom and dad dearly, and missed visiting them in MA. She so much loved her two brothers, sister and their families. Her friends were legion and so many posted on Caring Bridge to raise her spirits and give her strength. The posts always began “Paula was loved by all….”. Paula never met a dog she didn’t love; Yaz and Thunder (black labs), and Ruger and Pfeffer (German shorthairs) delighted in her presence, praise and long walks. Dog’s never have a bad day and neither did Paula.

So many thanks owed to Dr. Christine-Lu Emerson and Sam Gagnon at MaineHealth Cancer, the Gosnell Memorial Hospital team, and the angels at Southern Maine Hospice and Aging Kingdom. You gave Paula a fighting chance and as much encouragement, peace and comfort as possible.

Paula passed at home, sadly missed by Bruce, Sam and his wife Lily, Doug and his fiancé Bridget Flynn, and Paula’s family and friends. It was a sunny and sad day. She was warmly greeted in Heaven, and never stood in line at The Pearly Gate. She will be interred in Calvary Cemetery in South Portland following a funeral mass. She will rest near Bruce’s parents, Barbara and Gordon Ferguson, and her brother-in-law, Capt. G. Douglas Ferguson.

Paula also leaves her sister, Jeanne Nix and husband Bill (Palm Coast, FL), her brother Dan and wife Michele (Flemington, NJ), and her brother Bill and his wife, Josée (Framingham, MA) as well as many cherished nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian burial on Monday, July 8, 2024 at 11 AM at Holy Martyrs Church, 266 Foreside Rd, Falmouth. Interment will follow in New Calvary Cemetery, Broadway, South Portland. A reception will be held at Woodland Club in Falmouth (39 Woods Rd), following the services from 2-4pm.

In lieu of flowers, and to make an appreciated contribution in Paula’s memory, please consider a donation to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, PO Box 336, Westbrook, ME 04098, or go to www.arlgp.org/memorial.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to view Paula’s tribute page and to sign her online guestbook.