By 
MOURNERS gathered at St Mary’s Church, Killyclogher to celebrate the life of Michael Ferguson, a man described as ‘one of life’s gentlemen’.
A beloved husband of Therese and a loving father to Angela, Mr Ferguson passed away peacefully at Omagh Hospital.
Formerly of Sunnycrest Gardens, Omagh, Mr Ferguson was born in Garrison, Co Fermanagh.
He spent a number of years working in England before returning home and eventually settling in Omagh.
Speaking during the service, Father Malachy Gallagher said Mr Ferguson was one of six brothers and a sister. He left school at the age of 14 and began working in retail.
“Along with his old friend Paddy McGowan, they spent many hours in their later years reminiscing about those days,” Fr Gallagher said.
Mr Ferguson later moved to London, where he spent many years working for the Royal Mail and McVitie’s, before returning to retail with Sainsbury’s.
After his time in England, he returned to Ireland, where he met his beloved wife Therese in Ballymoney.
He later managed a Spar shop in Derry before relocating with his family to Omagh, where they built their own business.
“They opened ‘Shop and Save’, which later became ‘Smarty Pants’,” Fr Gallagher said. “Michael retired at the age of 50 and took up numerous hobbies, including fishing and bowling.”
Concluding, Fr Gallagher said that all who knew Mr Ferguson regarded him as ‘one of life’s gentlemen’.
Following the service, Mr Ferguson was laid to rest in Greenhill Cemetery, Omagh.
He is deeply mourned by his grandchildren Mark, Rachel and Thomas, and great-grandchildren Kyran, Céilidh, Caélan and Fionnuala.
Mr Ferguson was also a loving brother to Angela, Brendan and Peter, and to the late Jim, Patrick and Hugo.
