Duncan Ferguson was a rally driver, businessman, prison visitor and Sunday school teacher. But the Strathaven man, who has died aged 81, was first and foremost a family man.
Duncan was the managing director of scrap dealership Fermac Metals, which saw him go on many an adventure — to Puerto Rico to install a specialist shredding machine, to East Africa to appraise some stock and back and forth from the continent where his expertise was regularly sought.
But perhaps his biggest business adventure came in the form of the fire-ravaged Ocean Odyssey oil platform, which he bought, dismantled, and sold on to become a launch platform for spacecraft.
Despite his busy workload he had time for many other things, including his Christian faith, which was an integral part of his life.
A member of Hamilton Baptist Church, he was well known in Strathaven for teaching alongside the McTavishs and the McLartys at Sandford Sunday School, making the songs fun and engaging.
His work through Prison Fellowship with sister-in-law Pat, wife Lorraine and many other colleagues at Dungavel Prison, was instrumental in changing the lives of many prisoners for the better.
Born in Cambuslang in 1939, he trained as a consultant engineer after leaving school but left a few years later to work with Andrew McCracken of Larkhall.
They had two loves in common — Lorraine (Andrew’s daughter) and cars.
Both Andrew and Duncan were keen rally drivers. Duncan was a member of the Lanarkshire Car Club and, later, the Veterans of Scottish Motorsport.
He was a competitive driver and had numerous bumps — including one where he rolled a car several times but managed to complete the race after it landed back on its wheels.
Married in 1964 to Lorraine, they had four children and always operated an ‘open house’ with Duncan playing the piano and overseeing many a soiree at their Strathaven home.
Duncan and brother-in-law Sandy went into business together in 1962, creating scrap merchant firm Fermac, with the first yard at Mossend.
As the business grew the head office moved to Coatbridge, which became the base from where the workforce would take on strange and wonderful projects.
He managed to serve his community, his church and his family despite suffering from ME for most of his adult life and retired as a result of the illness in 2000.
Diagnosed with lung cancer last year, he was stoic in his last months – never complaining about his situation.
He had three loves: his family, his business and the Lord. He died surrounded by family at his home, and is survived by wife Lorraine, children Julie, Lisa, Jamie, Sally and his grandchildren.
