York’s Tracy Ferguson remembered as faithful father, farmer, businessman

A good day for Tracy Ferguson of York likely meant closing a real estate deal which benefited both parties.

It also meant stopping at the family’s hardware store on North Congress Street in downtown York where he would share in the round-the-stove conversations.

For dinner, he would grab a friend – or a stranger – and bring them home. His wife, Jeannie, said she never knew how many people would be around the dinner table.

After the work was done at the farm, and dusk was about to settle in, Tracy Ferguson would relax on his porch, a glass of George Dickel whiskey in hand, waiting for his cows to come over the hill.

Ferguson, 76, died Tuesday after a battling Parkinson’s disease for several years. His funeral will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd where he had served on the vestry and as junior warden.

Born and raised in York, Ferguson left to earn a degree in animal science from Clemson University.

He returned to York to help with, and eventually run, the family farm and business as well as begin his own real estate firm. He was, said his wife Jeanne, content to live in York.

“He is a great example of small town South Carolina,” said Eddie Lee, York’s mayor. “His hometown had everything he wanted and everything he needed. He proved you can go home.”

Ferguson sold real estate for more than 40 years, often selling the same home or piece of property three or four times. “He liked the thrill of chasing the deal and the satisfaction of helping people,” said his son Tracy, who runs his own real estate business.

The family business, Ferguson & Youngblood General Merchandise, was a step back in time.

The business, started by William Wade Ferguson and Chesley Youngblood operated for 90 years before the Ferguson family closed it in 2005.

It was the place where you could buy nails, building supplies and “hear plenty of gossip,” said Lee. It was a required stop for anyone seeking office in York.

There was always a group of regulars that gathered around the wood stove to share a cola, crackers and conversation, said Ronnie Bailes, owner of the Men’s Shop in downtown York. “There were lots of stories, but you also learned a lot,” Bailes said.

In the summer, homemade, hand-churned, strawberry or peach ice cream was a staple each Wednesday, Jeanne remembers. Soon the demand was so much that the Ferguson family churned lots of ice cream. To help the Fergusons, the wives of the men who were store regulars pitched in with homemade ice cream, Jeannie said. “The women once sent me a note thanking me for keeping their husbands out of their hair,” Jeanne said.

Jeanne and Tracy were married almost 54 years. They met on a blind date while she was a student at Winthrop College. Jeanne said she already a “perfectly good boyfriend at the time,” but after meeting Tracy, “I knew my life was going to be different after that.”

His farm was his passion.

Portions of the farm have been in the Ferguson family for at least four generations, Jeanne said. Over the years they have purchased more land. The farm, which is about a mile south of York, now has about 800 acres.

It was on his farm that Ferguson taught his children – and their friends – the value of hard work.

Character was most often taught while baling hay. At the time, the Fergusons made square bales of hay which are more labor intensive that bigger round bales.

Tracy Ferguson would often remove his shirt when they baled hay, a signal to his helpers “that he was about to go into high gear,” said his son, Jack. That was the signal for help to “gear up too,” Jack said.

“He taught us how to work, how to do a good job,” said his son, Tracy. He also taught them about the value of creating relationships and repeat customers.

Two weeks ago, Bill Sandifer, Ferguson’s lifelong friend, took Tracy for a ride over his farm in his red Chevy pickup. Sandifer and Ferguson grew up about a block apart in downtown York and soon became inseparable friends. Even as a child, Tracy Ferguson had his trademark smile and sense of humor, Sandifer said.

On the truck ride, Sandifer and Ferguson drove the back roads of the farm. Ferguson told him about the cows and the land. Not once did he complain about the Parkinson’s, Sandifer said.

Sandifer said it was a wonderful moment between lifelong friends, who “trusted each other” and had each other’s back for more than six decades.

This story was originally published February 24, 2016 at 10:00 PM with the headline "York’s Tracy Ferguson remembered as faithful father, farmer, businessman."