Betty Sue Ferguson

On January 9, 2016, Betty Sue “Sue” Ferguson, 85, went to be with the Lord after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born in Natchez, Mississippi in 1930, she was a long time resident of Baton Rouge and member of the First United Methodist Church and sang in the choir for 50 years. Sue was a graduate of Baton Rouge High School in 1947. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree in 1951 and Master of Music Degree in 1954 (Majoring in Piano with Minors in Music Theory and English). She worked for the Louisiana Department of Education from 1951 to 1986. She was among the education pioneers in the state when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was implemented. During that time, she was the first appointee by the department as Consultant in the Federal Programs Section of ESEA, Title I. She was promoted to Supervisor in 1969 under Title III, then tasked to be State Facilitator for Louisiana. She tirelessly worked at the local, state and federal levels to promote improvements and funding for the Louisiana education system. At the time of her retirement, she was the acting director and assistant director, Bureau of Development, Office of Research and Development. Upon retirement, she became a highly successful Mary Kay Consultant, winning multiple awards. Sue was a member of the Louisiana Teacher’s Association, Louisiana School Supervisors Association and the LA Association of School Administrators of Federally Assisted Programs. She was also a member of the American Business Women’s Association in which she was elected President of the local chapter in 1972 and named “Woman of the Year” by her peers. She was also a member of Phi Delta Kappa (former President of the LSU Chapter) and Delta Zeta. Sue is preceded in death by her parents William Lewis Ferguson and Susie Alice (Brown) Ferguson. She is survived by her daughters Karen Wright Jones (Christian Jones) of Ormond Beach, Florida, Susan Pamela Wright of Baton Rouge and Robin Diane Wright of Baton Rouge. Flowers, condolences and memorials may be sent to Greenoaks Funeral Home, Baton Rouge. A tribute/memorial donation may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (website: www.alz.org) or Hospice of Baton Rouge 9063 Siegen Ln, Baton Rouge, LA 70810. Visitation will be at Greenoaks Funeral Home on Tuesday, January 12, 2016, from 12 PM until funeral service at 2 PM. Interment will follow in Greenoaks Memorial Park.

The family would like to express their appreciation to Ollie Steele Burden Manor for caring, Baton Rouge Hospice for their compassion, Edna Kelleher for her devotion and members of the First United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge for their Love in Christ.