Mr. Harley Douglas Ferguson Sr

FERGUSON, HARLEY DOUGLAS, SR. - Master Photographer, Craftsman, CPP, age 92, passed away peacefully on July 2, 2014, while residing at Ben Atchley Veteran's Home. He was born in Belmont, North Carolina. He was born on February 23, 1922 to the late John Forest and Ida Bain Ferguson. He is preceded in death by his wife of 52 years Jean Caston Armstrong Ferguson, his parents, and siblings-Garmon Pressley Ferguson, Bleeka Mae Ferguson Robinson and Winfred Gray Ferguson. He is survived by his son Harley Douglas Ferguson, Jr., and wife Lovada of Knoxville; granddaughter Jeanne Love Ferguson of Charleston, SC; grandson Harley Douglas Ferguson, III, and wife Meghann; great-grandsons Wyatt and Rory, of Clinton, TN. Son Fredric Earl Ferguson and wife Sandra of Hilton Head, SC, granddaughter Crissy Ferguson Larkin and husband John and greatgrandsons Cullon and Bram of Murray, KY; grandson Freddy Ferguson and wife Niema and great-grandchildren Alijah, Anniken, and Alex of Savannah, GA; son John Forest Ferguson and grandsons, Forest and Ian of Knoxville, TN; daughter Lezle Ferguson Jenkins and husband Allan and grandchildren Mica, Marlee and Arik of Lenoir City, TN. Harley served in the U.S. Army Airborne Division at Ft. Benning, GA from 1942 - 1946 as a paratrooper and photographer where he received a military commendation for the development of airborne transporting of photographic equipment, enabling paratroopers to jump with equipment in to war zones. He was an outgoing individual who made friends easily and had an unbelievably creative and knowledgeable mind. Mr. Ferguson began his 79 year career as a professional photographer in Gastonia, NC in the early 1940's. After working in the photographic labs at Georgia Tech for four years in the late 1950's and 1960's, he and the family moved to Knoxville in 1963, and he and his wife, Jean, opened Harley Ferguson Photography. While in North Carolina and Georgia, he founded and advanced the Professional Photographers Association (PPA) in both States and was also very active in the Tennessee PPA. In addition, he was instrumental in the organization of the Southeastern PPA, where he received the Governor's Award. During his career, his photographic venues varied from FDR's funeral to Gypsy Rose Lee Troup visits from log cabins to aerials, from cotton mills to zinc mines, from piglets at the UT farms to filming for the NCAA, as well as portraiture, wedding, sport events, and numerous other commercial and industrial photography subjects. He coined the phrase "where there's beauty, we take it, and where there's none, we make it". He spent a lifetime of "capturing light". He liked to say that his career had spanned from flash powder to pixels. He was very active in Clan Ferguson Scottish activities and loved floral gardening. His greatest joys in life were his family, meeting and making new friends, and watching the Vols and Atlanta Braves. Harley was a long-time member of Church Street United Methodist Church (CSUMC) and a charter member of the Murphy Builders Sunday School Class. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, July 5, 2014, Church Street United Methodist Church with the Rev. Andy Ferguson officiating. Interment will follow immediately at Highland Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, July 4, 2014, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family request that contributions be made to the East Tennessee Historical Society at www.easttnhistory.org (865) 215-8824, for preservation of his work. On-line condolences may be extended at www.rosemortuary.com Arrangements by Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel.

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Mr. Harley Douglas Ferguson Sr

February 23, 1922 - July 2, 2014