G. FERGIN Obituary

August 11, 1928 - September 24, 2024

Spokane - G. Stanley (Stan) Fergin passed away peacefully on September 24, 2024, at the age of 96 years, at his residence at Rockwood Forest Estates in Spokane, WA. He was born on August 11, 1928, in Kennewick, WA, to Reinhart and Mabel Walters Fergin and spent his childhood at Thomas, between Kent and Auburn, then at Trout Lake, WA. His love of nature began at Trout Lake, where he explored as a Boy Scout and climbed Mount Adams. During World War II his father became Superintendent of Schools in Richland, WA during the Hanford Project and Stan graduated from Columbia High School in 1945. He attended Washington State College (now Washington State University) where he met his future wife Joan Guilbert (Jody) on a blind date. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and she a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. He graduated in 1949 with a degree in Physical Metallurgy and joined Kaiser Aluminum in the Department of Metallurgical Research at Trentwood in the valley. He was a member of the American Society for Metals and president of the local chapter in 1951. He then transferred to the Mead Reduction Plant and held positions as Production Engineer, Casting Superintendent and Production Control Superintendent. After phasing out the Mead casting facilities to ship molten metal to Trentwood, Stan entered the Industrial Hygiene field in 1972 and served as Regional Industrial Hygienist for Kaiser's three northwest aluminum plants at Mead, Trentwood and Tacoma. He attained board certification in the Comprehensive Practice of Industrial Hygiene in 1975 and was a Diplomate in the American Academy of Industrial Hygiene. He was president of the Pacific Northwest Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association in 1978 and named Distinguished Industrial Hygienist in 1980. He retired in 1985, after 35 years with Kaiser, then practiced as a Certified Industrial Hygiene Consultant for nine years until final retirement in 1994. In 1993, Stan and Jody built their "home behind the rock" in Rockwood Forest Estates on Deerwood Court in the Rockwood South Retirement Community.

Stan's volunteer activities, inspired by a deep sense of community spirit, covered a wide spectrum. At the Cathedral of St. John, the Evangelist he served several terms as a Chapter member and two terms as Senior Warden. He was Finance Chair and Capital Campaign Chair and most recently involved with his pet project, the Cathedral acoustics and sound systems. He served as a United Way loaned executive and division chairman. He was a charter member of the Mid-City Concerns board of directors, served as its president for one year and delivered Meals on Wheels for 50 years. Other organizations included YMCA board of directors, Department of Social and Health Services Citizens' Advisory Committee, Whitworth University Community Resources Advisory Committee, Habitat for Humanity building project, Rockwood Forest Estates Executive Committee Chair, Rockwood Resident Foundation Advisory Committee Chair and Rockwood Green Team (environmental) serving as Co-chair for 10 years.

Stan and Jody enjoyed family camping at Priest Lake and caretaking a homestead on Coeur d'Alene Lake with their extended family of Dale and Marilyn Stedman for 13 years, then settled in at Priest Lake in a cabin they designed and built. They loved boating, huckleberry picking and eating, mushrooming, wood gathering and cross-country skiing. They also enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and abroad, joining their children and grandchildren in seven countries. Stan enjoyed carpentry, tennis, yoga and exercise classes. He was married nearly 72 years to Joan (Jody) (Guilbert) Fergin, who died in 2022. They had two children, son, Gregory G. Fergin with wife, Judith (Ryan) in Falmouth, ME; and daughter, Beth S. Fergin with partner, Ian Cunningham in Spokane, WA; three grandchildren, Kaleb R. Fergin, (partner Jenica S. Draney), William L. Fergin and Amalia C. Fergin; one sister, Ruthelen Kile in Olympia, WA; and three brothers, Eugene in Overland Park, KS, Richard (deceased) and Truman (deceased).

Besides all the activities that gave Stan's life purpose and meaning, the gift of long life, family gatherings and especially grandchildren sparked the twinkle in his eyes, the wit and ability to laugh and the gratitude in his heart.

A memorial service celebrating Stan's life will be held at St. John's Cathedral on October 11, at 2:00 p.m. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Cathedral of St. John and to the Rockwood Residents' Foundation Exercise for Fitness Endowment Fund.