Joan Mendenhall Ferguson passed away peacefully on October 12, 2022, in Murray, Utah, at the age of 92. Joan was born March 9, 1930, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Wells Barney Mendenhall and Thelma Marianne (Browne) Mendenhall. She grew up in Salt Lake City, attending South High School, where she met Robert Thomas Ferguson, to whom she was later married and sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. She graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in elementary education, intending to be a teacher. She instead became a devoted homemaker and mother.
Due to military and medical training opportunities, she and Bob lived in many places, including Salt Lake City, Iowa, the Philippines, and Baltimore, Maryland. Joan gave birth to children in each of those locales. Joan and Bob returned to Salt Lake City in 1963 and lived in Holladay.
Joan and Bob had seven children: Blaine (Kathy Lyman), Boyd (Denise Wadsworth), Ann (Jeff Wiest), Linda (Michael Sorensen), Mary (John Harris), Dean (Robin Kelson) and Janet (Steve Thackeray). They had 25 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren.
Joan was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her life. She loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and tried to serve God and others every day. Joan served in many callings, including ward Relief Society president, mission leader (Arkansas Little Rock Mission 1990-93), assistant matron of the Salt Lake Temple, and temple worker.
Joan was selfless. She was very involved and supportive in caring for her parents, while still taking care of her children. She was kind to all, and made others, including the friends of her children, feel welcome and loved when they visited her home. She was angelic and rarely raised her voice or lost her temper with anyone. One of her friends once said that she never heard Joan utter a single negative word about anyone.
Joan loved genealogy and worked on family history her entire adult life. She loved to read, play and listen to music, do jigsaw puzzles, and do the daily crossword puzzle. She enjoyed travel and being with her children and grandchildren. Joan also had a clever and dry sense of humor. She will be missed.
Joan is survived by her children and their spouses, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, her parents, and her brothers Keith and Howard.
The family thanks the staff at Abbington Senior Living of Murray for their excellent and compassionate care for Joan during the past year.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 29 at 12:00 noon at the Valley View 11th Ward meeting house located at 1925 East Gunderson Lane (4101 South) in Holladay. A viewing will be held at the church on the morning of the funeral, from 10:00 to 11:45 a.m. Entombment will be at the Wasatch Lawn Mausoleum after the funeral. Online condolences may be shared at www.wasatchlawn.com. In lieu of providing flowers, people may consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org/get-involved-now/donate.
