James Keith McFerson

From an early age, Jim loved sports – both as a spectator and player. He particularly loved baseball, softball, and most of all, basketball. His love for the game burned brightly his entire life. He played in church and city leagues and all four years at Inglewood High School with two years as first-string varsity. He then played three years at UCLA. He owed his success and enjoyment to the coaching from his high school varsity coach, his UCLA freshman coach, and his most influential coach of all time, the legendary John Wooden. He had the greatest respect for and fondest memories of the people he associated with while at UCLA.

When he was 20, Jim served in the Central States Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1959-1961. Only a few months after returning from his mission and at the age of 22, Jim lost his father unexpectedly to a heart attack in the middle of the night. This was a defining moment in his life.

Jim graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and later a Master’s degree in Mathematics from UCLA. In 1976, Jim returned to school and earned an MBA from California State University at Fullerton. He always loved learning.

Jim met Laura Elaine Opp in 1966 and they married in the Los Angeles California temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 17, 1967. Jim and Laura welcomed two babies in the 1960s, two babies in the 1970s and one baby in the 1980s.

He provided for his family as a software engineer for over 40 years with over half of his career working in the aerospace industry. At Northrop Grumman, he wrote the software for the radar systems on the B-2 Bomber, among other projects.

Jim served diligently in any assignment or calling he was given as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He loved working with the scouting program and going on hikes and campouts with his own sons and the boys and leaders in the program. He served in almost any capacity the Lord needed him – working with the youth, the men, serving as the Bishop of the Placentia 1st Ward of the Placentia California Stake from 1986-1991, and also leading the music time with the Primary children when needed, even while he was the Bishop.

Becoming a musician didn’t happen for him overnight. It was a nearly 70-year journey with stops and starts since he first started taking music lessons. He took piano lessons when he was eight years old for two years before quitting. It wasn’t until his late teenage years that he discovered he had a knack for playing the piano “by ear”, which he dabbled in for the next 10 years. In his late 20s, he took a year’s worth of weekly lessons in piano improvisation, learning the basics of chord structure and fingering technique. These experiences would later play into one of the major highlights of his life: writing church “road shows” (15-minute musical productions, produced and performed by his church congregation). His interest in songwriting led to him write several Christ-centered songs, one of which, “The Savior’s Smile”, was published as a choir arrangement by Jackman Music. Getting his song published qualified as one of the most exciting moments of his life.

Of all the accomplishments in his life, his greatest of all was being a father and grandfather. He used to say, “Being a father is great, but being a grandfather is even greater.”

At 70 years old, Jim survived stage three colon cancer. At 75, he survived a heart attack. In his 80s, he survived four major strokes, with the last stroke leaving him debilitated on his left side for the last three years and eight months of his life. He did not let any of his health challenges in his later years take him down. Before dementia started setting in, his sense of humor was still keen, and he would often look for humor around him.

Jim passed away peacefully at home at 1:31 AM on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. He is preceded in death by his father and mother, Dimon McFerson and Hearty Svenson and his sister, Karen Williams.

He is survived by his brother, Dimon Richard McFerson; his wife, Laura Opp, and their five children: Jon McFerson; Jayd McFerson (Tauni); Jennifer VanWoerkom (Craig); Jeffrey McFerson (Alison) and Janna Wade (Matt); and fourteen grandchildren.

His viewing is scheduled for Friday, September 20 from 6:00-7:30 PM at McAulay & Wallace Mortuary (902 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, California). His memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 21 at 12:00 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (210 Livingston Avenue, Placentia, California).

In lieu of flowers, please make an extra donation to your ward fast offering fund in his memory to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.