Joe H Ferguson

Joe Harvey Ferguson of Cedar Hills passed away in the early morning of December 17, 2021
Joe was born the first day of September, 1931 in Tyler, Texas, the only child of Joseph Harvey and Ruth Knox Ferguson. Joe attended schools in Tyler, Dallas and Fort Worth, graduating from Tyler High in 1948.
In 1948, he drove his Model A Ford from Tyler to Logan, Utah where he attended Utah State Agricultural College for three years. In the fall of 1949, Joe started taking flying lessons in a 65 hp Aeronca Champ. This was the beginning of what was to be his life's career. To build up his flying time, he would fly his college buddies to Afton, Wyoming to buy a case of 6 percent beer. (Utah's was only 3.2%). So—Joe always admitted that he got his start in aviation by bootlegging.
He attended BYU winter and spring quarters of 1952 and 1953. graduating from BYU and the ROTC program in 1953. In the summers of 1952 and 1953, he flew crop-dusters near Coolidge and Casa Grande, Arizona. He then served in the US Air Force as an officer and pilot from 1953 until 1956. He was stationed at Mountain Home AFB and flew Boeing KC 97s. At Mountain Home, he was also the instructor for the flying club and did much civilian flying in addition to his Air Force. After leaving the Air Force, he flew for AAXICO Airlines for four months then Western Airlines for one year, Frontier Airlines for 28 years then Continental Airlines for 14 years. His flying career spanned from 1949 until 2000—51 years. He flew 30,000 hours as pilot and 5,000 as flight engineer.

Joe joined the John Birch Society in 1964 and became a Life Member. He concluded that this was the most effective way that he could work and fight to protect the principles upon which America was founded. He studied the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States seriously and often gave lectures on this subject. Joe ran for U.S. Congress in 1976, winning enough votes to win the Republican nomination but not enough to win the general election. He remained active in Republican politics. His patriotic work brought him into close contact with great people such as Robert Welch, Phyllis Schlafly, President Ezra Taft Benson, Dan Smoot, Dr. W. Cleon Skousen, Congressman Larry McDonald, who was lost when Korean Airlines 007 was forced down and many others. Joe treasured his friendships with these people. Alerting and instructing his friends as to the attacks upon the Constitution and the principles of Americanism was a challenge and duty to which Joe was deeply committed. Joe said often that a man is known not only by his friends but by his enemies. He was proud that his enemies were the enemies of the Constitution.
Joe was one of the co-founders, of American Heritage School that occupied a former church building in Pleasant Grove from 1969 until 2002 when a beautiful new facility was dedicated just east of the Timpanogos Temple. Joe was very supportive of privately--operated schools free of government control and its corruptive political influence. Let’s Go Brandon!

Joe married Marie Elaine Musser in 1963. They had six children: They lived in Phoenix from 1963 until 1968, when they moved to American Fork, Utah. Joe and Marie divorced in 1996. He then married Carole Hansen Petersen, whom he lived with until his death.
Joe and Carole served a three-year, part-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, which Joe enjoyed very much. Joe spoke Spanish and especially enjoyed assisting the Spanish-speaking patrons. Joe also did extensive family history research and served at the Timpanogos Family History Center. He also assisted many of his friends in gathering information for their families.

Joe was proceeded in death by his Father Joseph Harvey Ferguson (1938), Mother Ruth Knox Ferguson (1997) Son David J Burke (1982) Grandson Quinton Jay DeCarlo (1990)

Joe is survived by current wife Carole Hansen Peterson (Cedar Hills, UT) First wife Marie E Ferguson (American Fork, UT) Daughter Kimberly Jo (Gary Taylor), Daughter Linda Elaine (David Scott), Son Verlan Jay (Michelle), Son Jefferson Taft (Rebekah McCuen), Son Joshua Thomas and Daughter Kristie Marie (Devin Shaw). Joe has 21 Grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

His services will be held on Monday, January 10th, 2022 at 10:00 AM at the Cedar Hills 10th Ward building, 9737 Chesterfield Drive, CEDAR HILLS, Utah 84062

A viewing will be held Sunday January 9th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Nelson Family Mortuary 4780 N University Ave Provo, UT 84604 and Monday morning from 9:00 AM to 9:45 AM at the Cedar Hills 10th Ward building.