Tuesday, March 13, 2007
John Joseph FergusonCredit Union Manager
John Joseph Ferguson, 79, manager of the Fort Myer Federal Credit Union for 28 years, died of skin cancer March 6 at his home in Madison, Va.
Mr. Ferguson was hired as treasurer at the credit union in 1966 when its federal charter was under suspension. He successfully turned around the organization's financial operations and served as its manager until his retirement in 1994.
Born in Scranton, Pa., Mr. Ferguson worked briefly at Standard Brewing Co. in his home town. He served in the Army in 1946-47 in Frankfurt, Germany. After his military service, he graduated from the University of Scranton.
Mr. Ferguson moved to the Washington area in 1953 and was employed in the financial area of Lerner's and Lansburgh's department stores until going to work at the credit union.
Active in community affairs and local politics, Mr. Ferguson was a council member in Riverdale from 1966 to 1969. He was twice a candidate for mayor: In 1969, he was defeated by three votes in the town's closest election, and he lost again in 1973.
An accomplished player of the piano, harmonica, organ and accordion, Mr. Ferguson was also briefly an organist at Riverdale Park's St. Bernard's Catholic Church, where he was a parishioner for 38 years.
During his retirement in Madison County, Va., Mr. Ferguson worked part time at Montpelier, the home of James Madison. He enjoyed U.S. history and had a special interest in the Civil War.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Ann Ferguson of Madison; five children, Kathleen Jump of Crozet, Va., John Ferguson of Monrovia, James Ferguson of Woodbridge, Elizabeth Hernandez of Manassas Park and Patrick Ferguson of Lawrence, Kan.; a brother, Frank Ferguson of Hershey, Pa.; two sisters, Marie Pedersen of Chantilly and Carol Malinowski of Freehold Township, N.J.; and 11 grandchildren.
Edith May GreenChurch Member
Edith May Green, 88, a church member and homemaker, died of pneumonia March 8 at Riderwood Village in Silver Spring, where she lived.
Mrs. Green was born in Parkersburg, W. Va., and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1940 as a medical technician. She worked during the 1940s at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington in the food analysis program.
After her marriage, she became a full-time homemaker. A member of Alpha Xi Delta for 50 years, she received its Order of the Rose in 1987. She was a member of the American Legion's Women's Auxiliary and was a longtime member of Wheaton Presbyterian Church.
Her husband, Otis LeRoy Green, died in 1986.
Survivors include two children, Richard Green of Hagerstown, Md., and Sally Milton of Columbus, Ohio; and six grandchildren.
Charles Herron WalshFinancial AdviserCharles Herron Walsh, 83, a menswear sales director who in retirement became a financial adviser to Brown's Car Stores, died of complications from vascular disease March 7 at Birmingham Green assisted living center in Manassas.
Mr. Walsh, a native of Chattanooga, attended Georgia Technological University until World War II interrupted his studies. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers in Europe as a technical sergeant, serving directly under Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. He returned to college after the war, graduating from the University of Tennessee.
He worked in insurance before becoming vice president of a New York wool manufacturer. He later opened a retail fabric store in Nashville, then sold menswear for Quality Mills of Mount Airy, N.Y., and headed up its New York sales office.
He retired in 1988 to Mineral, Va., and relocated to Ashburn in 1998. He did part-time financial work for Brown's, an auto dealer in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Charlottesville and Richmond.
His wife, Mildred Elaine Landry Walsh, died in 2004. Two sons also preceded him in death: Shawn Walsh in 2001 and John Kevin Walsh in 1966.
Survivors include seven children, Charles Walsh of Haverford, Pa., Brian Walsh of Bristol, Conn., Barry Walsh of Nashville, Kevin Walsh of Ashburn, Patricia Widerman of Ijamsville, Maura Satchell of Smyrna, Tenn., and Mary Sullivan of Tullahoma, Tenn.; a brother; 14 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
William C. SturbittsCIA Operations Officer
William C. Sturbitts, 87, who retired from the CIA in 1980 after 28 years as an operations officer, died March 4 at Manor Care Potomac. He had cancer.
Mr. Sturbitts, who had residences in Bethesda and Bethany Beach, Del., was born in Boston and grew up in Chevy Chase. He graduated from St. John's College High School in 1938 and the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., in 1942.
He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II and saw combat in the Apennine and Po Valley campaigns in Italy. After the war, he served in the Air Force Reserve until 1979, when he retired as a lieutenant colonel. He worked at the CIA since 1952 in the Directorate of Operations.
Mr. Sturbitts worked in business before moving from Chicago to Washington in 1952.
He was an avid sports fan who enjoyed watching Notre Dame football games and attending the social gatherings of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in Washington.
His wife, Mary Jane Sturbitts, died in 2006, after 59 years of marriage.
Survivors include two daughters, Charlene Sturbitts of Arlington and Maureen Sloan of McLean; and three grandsons.
Edward F. EganBusinessman
Edward F. Egan, 76, former president of a surety and commercial insurance business in Chevy Chase, died March 4 of complications of lung cancer at his home in Silver Spring.
He was born in Cambridge, Mass., and grew up in Washington. He graduated from Gonzaga College High School and received a bachelor's degree in economics from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg in 1952.
After graduation, he began his career in the surety business. In 1966, he founded the surety and insurance agency Hess, Egan, Hagerty & L'Hommedieu in Chevy Chase. He retired in 1999 as president of the firm.
Over the years, he gave his time, expertise and energy to many institutions and causes. He coached Catholic Youth Organization football and served on the board of trustees at Providence Hospital, Academy of the Holy Cross and Mount St. Mary's College. For his service to his alma mater, he received the Brute Medal from the National Alumni Association in 2002.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Mary Louise Rippey Egan of Silver Spring; eight children, Edward T. Egan of Ambler, Pa., Mary Eileen Egan Fouratt of Shrewsbury, N.J., Maureen Egan of Richmond, Sheila Egan Addis of Philadelphia, Erin Egan of Richmond, Cara Egan Reynolds of Collingswood, N.J., Kate Egan of Los Angeles and Christine Egan of New York City; and 12 grandchildren.
Jack D. Fife Sr.Compliance OfficerJack D. Fife Sr., 64, a compliance officer who retired in 2004 after three years with Legg Mason in McLean, died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease March 3 at the Amarillo Veterans Center in Texas.
Mr. Fife lived in Amarillo since July and before that in Rockville.
Before joining Legg Mason, he was an operations manager with the Tucker Anthony stock brokerage firm in Washington for about 15 years.
Mr. Fife was born in Rayville, La., and grew up in Amarillo. He entered the Marine Corps when he was 17 and served nine years, which included assignments in Austria, the Congo and the Philippines.
His marriage to Edith Fife ended in divorce.
Survivors include two children, Jack Fife Jr., of Gaithersburg and Julie Garner of Rockville; his mother, Helen Lyons of Amarillo; a sister; a brother; and four grandchildren.