On Monday, January 10, 2022, in North Little Rock, Ark., ANNIE “MUSHY” MARIE FERGUSON
passed away at the age of 84. Annie was born on March 2, 1937, in Alice, Texas, to Vidall Garza and Angelina Serna Garza. She married her one and only husband, Cecil Ferguson, on November 28, 1958, after knowing him for only 19 days. They raised two children, Sherry and Daniel. She received a bachelor’s degree in Education and a master’s degree in Counseling from Little Rock University, now UALR. She was a junior and high school teacher of Spanish and English for decades and after receiving her counseling degree, she was a school counselor.
Annie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Cecil Ferguson, her son, Daniel Ferguson, and her best friend, Janell Phelan. She is survived by her daughter, Sherry Ferguson, sonin-law, Greg Fernholz, daughterin-law, Beverly Ferguson, grandson, Nathaniel Ferguson, close cousin, Terry Rodriguez and good friends, Margie Hendrix and Ray Beber.
Annie had a passion for helping her many students. As a school counselor, she strongly advocated for college and many of her students have become successful due to her helpful advice.
She loved holidays and had decorations for each one. Her favorite was Christmas. Her husband was eventually persuaded to purchase a small storage shed for the back yard where she was able to store all of her holiday decorations. She loved to dance and there are many photos of her with her husband in various dance halls when she was younger. This love continued even after she was confined to a wheelchair. Most recently, she was wildly chair dancing at the Lakewood Health & Rehab’s New Year’s Eve party. She was devoted to reading and her daughter remembers spending many hours in libraries with her. She loved novels about the Amish and was a Beverly Lewis fan. She was also a Nicholas Sparks fan and was delighted to see him speak at the University of Central Arkansas several years ago. This love of reading extended to keeping on top of current events. She read the daily newspaper and often talked with her family about ongoing issues. Her nonfiction reading, however, never got in the way of celebrity gossip news. She knew more about the Kardashians than anyone. As anyone who knew Annie knows, she loved Mexican food. Guacamole and cheese dip were her favorites. When she was younger, the guacamole nachos at La Hacienda in Benton were her go-to. Further, it didn’t have to be Mexican food. One of her favorite shirts said, “My favorite three words: Let’s eat out!” Finally, she was devoted to her children. With her husband, it was her love and support that provided Sherry and Dan with the motivation and wherewithal to have extraordinary lives and careers.
The family acknowledges the kindness of Father Jack of St. Patrick Catholic Church of North Little Rock, Arkansas. We want to especially acknowledge our appreciation for the incredible services provided by Lakewood Health & Rehab of North Little Rock, Arkansas, and to her friend Fletcher. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a memorial service will be planned for a later date. Donations may be made in honor of her son to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. www.pancan.org.