Bonnie Ferguson

Bonnie Ferguson, 90, of Selmer, TN, returned home on March 31, 2025.

Born to the late John Hughie McMahan and Wilma Mae Sipes McMahan, Bonnie was born on December 25, 1934, in Bethel Springs, TN. Always reminiscing, she would tell stories of sneaking out with childhood friends; playing in the flowers and fields; spending time with her extended family; and just being with Ma-Ma and Daddy, who taught her the importance of hard work, family, and love. She would also proudly tell of walking along Highway 45 to and from work at Brown Shoe Company. While she didn’t make much, she says she did her best to create the life she loved for her family at her beloved home in Selmer.

Bonnie cherished her family and created so many loving memories with them: When her grandsons were young, she would drive to and from Memphis each weekend to spend time with them. She joined family vacations; attended every school function; never missed a birthday or holiday; let them play in her yard and slide in the ditch; and spent the week with them during the summers, sleeping on the couch to be nearer to her boys at all times.

Bonnie made sure to preserve her past for her future. She kept every gift, card, and school project her grandsons made. She kept old toys, family heirlooms, and scrapbooks. She always had her camera on her, taking pictures and writing detailed descriptions on the back to remember the moment, capturing each in time. She wrote of the past and her “kinfolk,” loving where she came from. She, like those memories she created and the legacy she maintained, will never be forgotten.

All her life, Bonnie was a strong-willed, courageous woman who lived independently. Everyone who knew her knew that. She was a fighter until the very end, not letting others forget she took care of herself. Still, just as she cared for her family for so many years, her grandsons were by her bedside during her final weeks to care for her. That spirit that defined her made them better people, and they know that she’ll always be a part of them.

She is survived by her three grandsons who will always love her dearly, John Nicholas Hoover (Christie), Christopher Ryan Hoover (Dave Klein), and Matthew Tyler Hoover (Kelsey); three great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Savannah, and Mason; and daughter, Lisa Ferguson.