Ohio University
http://www.ohiou.edu/reflections/in_memory.html

Ohio University Alumnus Joe Ferguson Lost In September 11 Tragedy

By Mary Alice Casey

Photo Left: Joe Ferguson, director of Geography Education Outreach for the National Geographic Society, was a passenger on American Airlines #77 when it crashed into the Pentagon. Ferguson, who joined the Society in 1987, was accompanying D.C. students and teachers on an educational field trip to the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary in California. Ann Judge (not pictured), director of the Society's Travel Office, was also on the flight.

Photo Right: Ferguson strikes a pose next to the Deep Worker submersible, which helps scientists gather data for the NGS/NOAA Susatinable Seas Expedition. With Ferguson are two other National Geographic employees: Lisa Hungness (left) and Rita Dooley (center).

Photos of Joe Ferguson are courtesy of the National Geographic Society

Ohio University Alumnus Joe Ferguson Lost In September 11 Tragedy
By Mary Alice Casey

Associate Professor of Geography Hugh Bloemer prized the National Geographic Society's Joe Ferguson as a peer just as he valued him as a student 16 years ago.

Ferguson, who worked as a teaching assistant for Bloemer in 1985-86 and 1986-87 while pursuing a master's degree at Ohio University, was among the 64 people killed when American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11. As director of the Society's Geography Education Outreach Program, Ferguson was traveling with another staff member, three Washington, D.C., teachers and three students to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary near Santa Barbara, Calif., to take part in a marine research project.

"I kept in touch with Joe all these years," Bloemer said. "Whatever you needed, Joe would never fail you. He was just a prince of a man."

The summer after wrapping up his commitment to Bloemer in 1987, Ferguson landed a highly competitive internship with the Society that evolved into a full-time position. His role as director of the Society's education program was the perfect fit for a man who saw great value in teaching geography.

"He enjoyed what he was doing for the Society, and he was good at it," Bloemer said. "He worked hard to spread the word about geography."

In a story that appears on the Society's Web site, President and CEO John Fahey said Ferguson was strongly committed to improving geography education in America's classrooms.

"Joe Ferguson's final hours at the Geographic reveal the depth of his commitment to one of the things he really loved," Fahey said. "Joe was here in the office until late Monday evening (Sept. 10) preparing for this trip to the Channel Islands - an extraordinary experience for the teachers and particularly the young students. It was his goal to make this trip perfect in every way."

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National Geographics

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/09/0912_disasterngs.html

Team from National Geographic Killed in Pentagon Crash

National Geographic News
September 12, 2001

Two staff members of the National Geographic Society, along with three Washington, D.C., teachers and three students they were traveling with, were among the victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Tuesday, officials of the Society announced on Wednesday.

Ann Judge, director of the Society's travel office, and Joe Ferguson, director of the Geography Education Outreach Program, were accompanying the three teacher-student pairs on an educational trip to California.

They were all killed along with the other passengers of American Airlines Flight 77 after it was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon at about 9:45 Tuesday morning.

Teacher James Debeuneure and student Rodney Dickens were representing Ketcham Elementary School; teacher Sarah Clark and student Asia Cottom were from Backus Middle School; and teacher Hilda Taylor and student Bernard Brown were from Leckie Elementary School. All the students were 11-year-old sixth graders.

They had been selected to participate in a program at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary near Santa Barbara, California, as part of a Society-funded marine research project known as Sustainable Seas Expeditions.

"Through our educational outreach program, Ann and Joe were going to make geography and the environment come alive for these committed, talented teachers and their star students by putting them into the field with scientists and researchers," said John Fahey Jr., the Society's president and CEO.

"The D.C. School District has lost six extraordinary people, and we at the Society have lost two treasured colleagues," he added.

Humor and Professionalism

Judge was revered by the Society's network of photographers, writers, and other staff members for her "can-do" attitude and unfailing good humor in organizing countless assignments to remote corners of the world.

She joined the National Geographic 22 years ago as an assistant in the travel office and was named director of the unit in 1997. Her office was filled with a variety of items from around the world—mementos from the many trips she took with teachers under the Society's geography education program and gifts from colleagues grateful for her skill and dedication in smoothing the travails of travel.

Fahey said his fond memory of Ann was captured in a recent voice message he received from her. "Ann and [Geographic explorer-in-residence] Sylvia Earle, who was also on the voice mail, sounded like young schoolgirls, clearly enjoying themselves rafting the Monkey River in Belize," he said.

"This was quintessential Ann—living life to the fullest and wanting to share it with others."

Ferguson, a native of Mississippi who completed a master's degree in geography at Ohio University, joined the Society in 1987 as one of the first full-time employees of the Geography Education Outreach Program.

Strongly committed to improving geography education in America's classrooms, he won the affection of many of the thousands of teachers who have participated in a wide range of professional development activities sponsored by the Society. His long-time service in the program made him the widely acknowledged "institutional memory" of the department.

"Joe Ferguson's final hours at the Geographic reveal the depth of his commitment to one of the things he really loved," Fahey said.

"Joe was here in the office until late Monday evening," Fahey noted, "preparing for this trip to the Channel Islands—an extraordinary experience for the teachers and particularly the young students. It was his goal to make this trip perfect in every way."

Marine Field Work

The group had boarded the Boeing 757 on Tuesday morning at Dulles International Airport in the Washington suburbs.

In California, they would have embarked on an educational field trip associated with a Sustainable Seas Expedition, a five-year project of deepwater exploration and public education conducted by National Geographic and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The field work would have entailed working with biologists at the marine sanctuary to monitor oceanic life and activity. Hiking and kayaking to several of the study areas was part of the planned agenda.

The six teachers and students who were en route to California had been selected for the program by local coordinators of a Society-sponsored network of educators known as the National Geographic Alliance.

The National Geographic Society has established a fund to honor and celebrate the lives of Joe Ferguson and Ann Judge and their tireless commitment to the Society's mission of education, exploration, research, and conservation.

The fund will be designated to support geography education, including continued opportunities for students and teachers to learn about and interact with the natural world.

Gifts of all sizes are welcome and are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Please send a check, made out to the National Geographic Society, with a note indicating the Ferguson/Judge Fund to: National Geographic Society Development Office, 1145 17th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036.

To View Letters of Condolances Sent to National Geographics for Joe and Ann  

Page 1: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/09/0913_condolence.html

Page 2: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/09/0920_condolence2.html

Tributes to Joe Ferguson, Geographer and Friend

http://www.netpath.net/~vernon/joe.htm

September 11, 2001

In the horrific tragedies of today, we have lost a great friend. Joe Ferguson, of National Geographic Society, was on board the American Airlines flight that crashed into the Pentagon. Joe was accompanying three District of Columbia teachers and three D.C. students to a Sustainable Seas event in California. He was also accompanied by Ann Judge of NGS...many of you knewAnn as well.

We certainly must pull together to share our love and respect for Joe and Ann. The burden of grief is made lighter when shared.

Kristin Alvarez
Keene, New Hampshire

We are without words to express our sorrow and loss.... I felt an immediate urge to look at the pictures that I had taken at our dinner in DC. What I saw was a guy that was smiling because he enjoyed what he was doing and felt great satisfaction in knowing that he was helping teachers, and utimately students, to better themselves by understanding more of the world around them. Joe was dedicated to improving education and had the strongest of passions for teachers. When I was first asked to present for N[ational] G[eographic] S[ociety] candidates of N[ationa] B[oard], I asked Joe what his expected quota was for certification. With he look of surprise at the question, Joe answered quickly that his goal was to improve teaching and the profession and that certication was a secondary benefit but not the purpose of supporting candidates per se. I was sold on his sincerity and his true motives.

I have presented in many places for many audiences but never has the corporate sponsor set through 2 days of listening so that they could learn and better help others. Joe did. He cared whether you the candidates were getting the best information that you could and how he could better serve the next candidates.

As I look at his picture, I see Joe enjoying the company that he was with (teachers and colleagues). I know that he worked long hours, but I also know that he enjoyed what he was doing. When I spoke to him about other trips or trainings that he had with teachers, he frequently said, "It was great, " even when he described conditions which were less than luxurious, which tells me of his pleasure in his work. I will take this moral from Joe with me and be reminded that we only have now to enjoy and to do our best work...

We have truly lost a friend and support in education.

Renea Crumbley,
Charlotte, North Carolina

Joe was indeed a wonderful person and a great gift to the education community. I had the pleasure of working with him two consecutive summers, and he was as fun as he was inspiring. We have lost a special person, and I agree that a tribute is appropriate... also... Joe would want us to remember Ann Judge and the teachers and children (especially the children) who perished along with him. So let's wear our NGS pins in honor of all 8 of our geography education community who were lost to a sensless act.

Steve Prendergast
Santee/San Diego, California

Joe was one unique individual many came to know and admire ~ I had initial pleasure during the '90 ILI. He offered exhuberance and true friendship to many teachers who passed his way ~ I was blessed to be able to call him friend. Good times, loving memories, and wonderful professionalism ~ he offered me so much while wanting so little. . . even though he couldn't dance, we did so enjoy you!

Ann was our heroine on Project Marco Polo III as she arranged our "release" from the "bus seige" at Suez when we finally got to board the USS Chauvenet to traverse the Suez Canal ~ did she really bribe those harbor officials?!? She always made travel for NGS and its people her priority ~ just as she did on one last trip. No one can ever doubt her loyalty. . . but that outstanding wit was what got us every time!

To the NGS family - Ann's, Joe's, the DC students and teacher's especially - our heartfelt sympathy. Being a teacher consultant with the NC Geographic Alliance and trained in that remarkable golden rectangle has made our lives unbelievable, but the loss of such wonderful individuals also leaves us hollow.

Thank you Ann and Joe for being such a special part of our lives---special angels watch over us.

Margaret Parrish
Raleigh, NC

As long as there was a Geography Education Program at NGS there was Joe Ferguson. His dedication to geography education was an inspiration to us all. To me, Joe was geography education. He was also much more. Joe was a warm, caring human being. I thought so highly of Joe for his leadership skills, his personality, and the quality person he was.

Geography education has lost a champion, and we have lost a friend and mentor. We have the solace of good memories of days past that we spent with Joe. We have the prayers of support for one another.

Steve Pierce
North Carolina

I'd like to share just one short story about my dear friend Joe. He was from Durant, Mississippi and never missed an opportunity to brag about our state. His first job was at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store. Kids picked on him about bagging groceries so he complained to his mom. She told him it would build character. Do you think that's where his greatness came from? Working at "The Pig"? Anyhow, at WOW in Reno, I was walking with Joe through the lobby of the hotel when 2 little old ladies came running up just squealing. They were at the National Convention of the Piggly Wiggly and were from Durant, Mississippi. They worked in HIS Piggly Wiggly and were so thrilled to see their friend. What a small world we live in.

June Hollis
Brandon, Mississippi 39042

I spent most of the last two days at NGS chatting with the staff. The tone is weepy, somber, and disbelief. Joe's office door is closed; Ann's office door is closed. Flowers are piling up at bothdoorways.

We have lost two spirited and gifted friends, as well as the teachers and students they were escorting to California. This is surely one of life's deepest valleys; our consolation is that they now know what lies on the other side of the mountain.

Jim Binko

I first met Joe Ferguson in 1988 when the Kentucky Department of Education entered into a partnership with the Geography Education Department of the National Geographic Society. Joe was the NGS liaison to Kentucky, and he and I quickly became friends as well as colleagues. Although our state partnership with NGS finally ended, my friendship with Joe did not. We continued to keep in touch through emails, contacts with mutual friends, postcards from sometimes exotic locations (always from Joe to me), and annual Christmas cards.

I noticed that many of the recollections about Joe were professional in nature, so I would like to add a more personal memory about my friend, Joe Ferguson.

As a true Southerner, Joe had a hearty appetite and sometimes liked to indulge in some home-grown Southern favorites. These favorites notably included pork and grease. In our travels across Kentucky, Joe and I would sometimes tease each other about "eating our way across the Commonwealth of Kentucky." One of our particular favorites was the Science Hill Inn in Shelbyville, Kentucky. This fine restaurant, located in a former all-girls school, was known for its genteel surroundings and its upscale southern cooking. After being seated in the restaurant, elegant wait-staff in crisply-starched white shirts, would immediately bring hot-water cornmeal muffins and homemade biscuits to the table. Accompanying the breads would be sweet-cream butter. As you can imagine, Joe and I would immediately start eating bread and always ask for second-helpings. After eating the breads we were already full, but that didn't stop us from moving on to our entrees. As I recall, I would always order something different but Joe always had the same item --- a pork barbeque sandwich. The barbeque sandwich was not a sophisticated entree, but Joe relished the taste of that old-fashioned barbeque sauce on top of that slow-roasted pork. Sweet-tea (iced, to non-southerners) was Joe's drink of choice, and it complimented his menu selections to a "T."

Joe, wherever you are now, I hope you're enjoying fine, home-cooked meals like the ones you and I used to share. First chance I get, I'm going to Science Hill Inn, have a barbeque sandwich, and raise a glass of iced tea in your memory. I will never forget you or the memories of our travels together.

Nijel Clayton
Kentucky Department of Education

Joe was a dedicted and sincere individual. I first met him in 1994 when I was a member of the first Urban Initative group from Detroit, Michigan. He was dedicated to expanding geographic education throughout the United States.

I spent this past summer in Tulsa, OK working for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. I met Renea Crumbley who is a member of the board of directors and surprisingly we started talking about Joe. We both expressed our delight in having him as a friend. I proceeded to email Joe that afternoon to ask how he was doing and offer my assistance in any other project that my expertise would fit in. As always his response was warm and sincere.

Yesterday, the shock of his loss was with him. I will truly miss him and Ann. Ann and I had many conversations as flight plans were arranged.

I ask God to make a place for Joe, Ann, the teacher and especially the children.

Deborah J. Miller
Detroit, Michigan

I collaborated with Joe (and with Connie Hudgeons and many others of the New Mexico Geographic Alliance) several years ago on a geography education project.

We called ourselves the GEOFORCE. I further had the pleasure of seeing Joe in Washington at the Teacher Consultants' Summer Geography Workshop in July, 1998. I can't believe that his special personality, organizational strength, and person are no longer with us.

Ron Murray, Albuquerque, New Mexico

"I got a chance to meet Joe for the first time in the July of this year. In the few short days that I spent at a National Geographic workshop, I found him to be a kind, sincere individual. The word "professional" doesn't seem to fit Joe because he just had so much fun with his job --- I thought if you were ever a professional that meant you were tied down and straight-laced. From my observations, Joe loved his job and inspired all he came in contact with to love and appreciate geography and, of course, life.

Though the time I got to work face-to-face with you was brief, I'll always remember your enthusiasm. Thanks, Joe."

Patrick Vernon
Elon, North Carolina

J. Joe Ferguson

We hold you in our memories, Joe,
because of the memories you created for us and with each of us.

We hold you in our passions for teaching, Joe,
because of the fervent dedication you had for our profession.

We hold you within our classrooms, Joe,
because you gave us renewed energy for teaching despite any challenges we might face.

We hold you high within the geographic education community, Joe,
because you used your limitless energies to build it.

We hold you in our mental maps of the world, Joe,
because ours were forever changed by you.

We hold you in our hearts, Joe,
because you held so many of us in yours.

We hold you within our laughter, Joe,
because your keen humor was shared so freely.

We hold you within every story we tell, Joe,
because you were the consummate, master storyteller.

We hold you within our history, Joe,
because you shared yours with us.

We hold you in our souls, Joe,
because you touched ours.

We hold you, Joe, forever.

Jody Smothers Marcello
Sitka, Alaska
September 15, 2001

Joe Ferguson

Those of us who had an opportunity to work with Joe Ferguson as he carried out National Geographic's education mission could not but help being inspired by his dedication to teachers and their students and to improving the quality of teaching and mastery of content knowledge. One of the countless examples of his dedication to the field was how he led the way for content organizations to support accomplished teaching by sponsoring Geographic Alliance teachers seeking National Board Certification. It is difficult to reconcile the loss of Joe, his colleague Ann Judge, and the teachers and students accompanying him. Reflection on his life and contributions to education bring to mind the advice of Henry David Thoreau:

"On the death of a friend, we should consider that the fates through confidence have devolved on us the task of a double living, that we have henceforth to fulfill the promise of our friend's life also, in our own, to the world."

Terry Robidoux
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
September 18, 2001

To contribute a comment, feel free to email me, Patrick Vernon, at western@teacher.com

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