Darrell H. Ferguson, 94, died at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004, in Metropolis Rehabilitation Center. Services for Darrell H. Ferguson will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Wilson Funeral Home in Karnak, with the Rev. Mike Heston and Ivan Judd officiating. Burial will be in the Masonic Cemetery in Cypress. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Wilson Funeral Home, with Masonic rites at 7 p.m. 

Mr. Ferguson's life work was in the field of education. He began teaching at Grand Chain Illinois Elementary School and remained a resident of that community. He became Pulaski County Superintendent of Schools and served in that capacity until retirement in 1975. Mr. Ferguson was chairman of the steering committee that was able to secure the formation of the Shawnee Community College District and served as the first chief executive officer of the General Educational Development program there. He called the first meeting of school administrators and state consultants that resulted in a four-county Special Education Joint Agreement. Mr. Ferguson was a member of the Executive Committee of the Illinois Association of County Superintendents, chairman of Region VI, and a member of the statewide committee on the Right to Read program. Local, regional and state groups in education favorably cited him. He was a life member of the National Educational Association and recently served on the Regional School Board of School Trustees, which deals with the detachment and also annexations of school district boundary lines. 

Other than education, Mr. Ferguson was for many years active in the Disciples of Christ Christian Church, serving as elder, trustee, secretary of the board, Sunday school superintendent and teacher. 

In 1938, Mr. Ferguson became a Mason and later a 32nd degree member of the Scottish Rites Masonry. He received his 50-year pin from Blue Lodge 660 A.F. and A.M. of Grand Chain. He was also a 50-year member and past Worthy Patron of the Order of the Eastern Star of Grand Chain and a 50-year member of the Villa Ridge American Legion Post 178 Lewis-Farris. 

Mr. Ferguson's work in the educational field was interrupted by time spent in the Navy during World War II.

Surviving are two sisters, Beatrice Racey of West Frankfort and Lallah Spurlock of Karnak, and a host of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys Mescher Ferguson; one sister; and two brothers. His parents were Jay Darrell and Harriette Evers Ferguson.