Emily Hill Ferguson

Emily Hill Ferguson, beloved wife of Brad, treasured mother of Charles, Angus, and Kathryn, and fiercely loyal friend of so many passed away quietly at home on January 20th with her loving husband by her side. She was born in Atlanta on May 30, 1976 to Kathryn “Tatty” Wallace HiIl and Charles Dougherty Hill. Emily was admired, beloved and treasured like no other: she exuded unconditional love for all, especially her precious family. She modeled an unwavering faith in God, and a relentless desire to give to others. She was always thoughtful, gracious, and kind.

Emily spent almost her entire life in Atlanta. When she wasn’t making her friends laugh hysterically with her unbelievable sense of humor and one-of-kind way, she was dominating the tennis court. She won her first tournament at the age of 6 and often beat players twice her age with astonishing humility. As a junior tennis player, she was ranked number one in the state of Georgia and was also recognized as one of the top-ranked players in the Southeast and nation.

Emily graduated from The Westminster Schools in 1994, where she played at the number one spot for the Varsity Tennis team all four years of high school and led her team to four straight state championships. She was later inducted into the Westminster Hall of Fame, where her name still hangs today. After high school, Emily was awarded a full athletic scholarship to the The University of Virginia where she was team captain junior year and graduated in î998 with a BA in English and a minor in Religion.

After college Emily moved to San Francisco and then back to Atlanta where she met her beloved husband, Bradley Aaron Ferguson. Emily and Brad were married on December 16, 2000, at First Presbyterian Church. Emily and Brad were true soul mates and the perfect complement to each other.

Emily was the kindest, most loving, and gentle soul. Her gentle way was not to overshadow her incredible strength. She will be remembered for that remarkable strength in addition to her pure, all-encompassing love for everyone she knew. Though she faced many challenges in her life, she always stayed strong, never complained, and instead turned her thoughts towards how she could help others. As just one example of her generous spirit, she spent the last two years of her life raising awareness and funds for HairToStay, a nonprofit that covers cold cap expenses for cancer patients in need.

Those who knew her best, describe her as their life’s greatest gift. To know of her was to be inspired, to meet her was to be lucky, to love and be loved by her was to be blessed. Her greatest joys were her three beautiful, treasured children, each one a shining bright light in her life.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Kathryn “Tatty” Wallace Hill and Charles Dougherty Hill, her Aunt Anise Wallace Kirkpatrick, and her grandparents Emily Smith Hill, Benjamin Harvey Hill, Roy Williams Wallace, and Anise Chason Wallace. She is survived by her husband, Brad; children Charles, Kathryn, and Angus, mother in law Sandy Ferguson, father in law Dave Ferguson, and her dear helpers and friends, Laquita Dunn and Maggie Bennett.

A memorial service will be celebrated on Thursday, January 25th at 2 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 1328 Peachtree Street in Atlanta, GA. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to the Winship Cancer Institute or HairToStay.