Richard Lee Ferguson, 84, of Crossville, Tennessee passed away on July 24, 2026, at Wharton Nursing Home in Pleasant Hill, Tennessee.

Cremation rites have been accorded. Graveside services and burial will be at Camp Butler National Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois at a later date. The Crossville Memorial Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Richard was born on July 14, 1942 to Walter William “Bill” and Gleneva (Havens) Ferguson, in Hammond, Indiana. He is survived by his wife Marilyn (Newlin) of Crossville, TN; former wife Pamela (Wager) Ferguson of Oreana, IL the mother of his daughter Christine (Mitchel) Swim of Mahomet, IL; grandchildren Hannah and Megan Swim; sister Carole (David) Uphoff of Charleston, IL, brother Gene Ferguson of Brooksville, FL, and four nephews and a niece. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Richard attended Casey High School in Casey, Illinois. He became a hairdresser and worked in Chicago for a short time. He then returned to central Illinois and worked at AE Staley in Decatur before moving to Florida in 1989. He soon bought All New Landscape & Design and worked in landscaping until his retirement when his nephew Craig Ferguson, who worked with him, acquired his business which is still thriving today.

Richard had a long military career culminating in over 20 years of service. He began his career in the Illinois Army National Guard in 1963 and served for six years. He then re-enlisted in 1973 with the Illinois Army National Guard until he moved to Florida. After moving to Florida, he decided to transfer to the U.S. Naval Reserve and retired in 1991 as a Chief Petty Officer and Chief Mess Management Specialist First Class. Richard was very proud of his service in the Military. He loved cooking in the military and at home.

Richard and Marilyn celebrated 49 years of marriage in April 2026. They enjoyed traveling and went on over 10 cruises. They camped throughout their marriage starting with a “pop-up” camper. In retirement, they bought a motor home and enjoyed touring the country for many years before moving to Tennessee in 2016. They especially liked staying at military campgrounds. Richard and Marilyn often traveled north on summer trips to campgrounds where they worked as camp hosts, and Richard served in maintenance as well. In addition to camping, Richard and Marilyn also enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and going to movies, concerts, and plays.

Richard’s favorite hobby was building and flying model airplanes. He always had a workshop area to work on his planes and enjoyed sharing his passion with others. He belonged to flying clubs, and wherever they traveled, he would find opportunities to connect with local clubs and fly his planes. He also had an affinity for watches and clocks.