WAYNE ALLAN FERGUSON

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WAYNE ALLAN FERGUSON

February 11, 1949 - February 22, 2026

Wayne Allan Ferguson quietly passed away February 22, 2026, at the age of 77, surrounded by family.

Wayne will be lovingly remembered by his daughter Jillian Drozda and his grandchildren, Jackson, Mason and Emerson. Also mourning his passing are his brother Greg, sisters-in-law, Patti, Linda and Gail, son-in-law Ian, niece Ashley (Frank) and nephew Jordan (Ali). He will be missed by his pet cat, named Cat, and special friend Holly.

Wayne was predeceased by his wife Heather (Granger) Ferguson, parents, Robert and Lola (Waddell) Ferguson, brother James Ferguson, in-laws, Fred and Kathy (Smith) Granger and brother-in-law Barry Derlago.

Always a social person, Wayne made friends everywhere he went. He touched the lives of many with his outgoing nature.

His early years were spent in the North End of Winnipeg, where he attended Sisler High School.

As he considered career options, young Wayne had aspirations of becoming a chiropractor. After being accepted into the chiropractic college in Georgia, he started attending the University of Manitoba to gain more science credits for his planned venture south. Along the way, life took a turn when Wayne fell in love with Heather Granger, his future wife, at the U of M. They were married in 1972.

Marriage altered plans for Georgia and so Wayne needed to find a new career path. As a young teen and lad, he had never shied away from hard work, from his early beginnings as a paperboy and Dickie-Dee ice cream peddler, to working at Avenue Meat Market and Manitoba Telephone Services. While at university, his interest in science led him to work as an assistant at the Pembina Veterinarian Clinic. He continued on to Cargill Grain and eventually the Shell Oil Company, where his longest tenure was as a Manager of Quality Lab.

When Shell moved lab operations to Alberta, Wayne decided to stay in Winnipeg. He then embarked on a new career at Crocus Fund as a Sales Administration Officer. When Crocus came to an end several years later, he started his own construction and roofing company. Later in life, he eventually took positions as a caretaker at St. Alphonsus School and finally Clifton Community Centre.

Wayne was involved in sports from an early age, participating on several championship teams in baseball, soccer and basketball as a youth. He was a long-time coach, manager of a Men's Slo-Pitch team and member of the Winnipeg Men's Slo-Pitch League executive.

However, Wayne's true love and passion was playing pool – from his early days skipping school to be at Bosses to his induction into the Aactive Pool League Hall of Fame in 2019. He helped establish the Canadian Amateur Pool League, and was an active member / player of the Valley National Eight Ball Association (VNEA) and Billiard Congress of America.

Wayne also enjoyed travel. He ventured to Scotland with Heather and their daughter Jillian, and before his daughter’s arrival, the couple traveled to China, Hawaii and other destinations. His participation in sports took him to Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Minnesota, Nevada and North Dakota for Nationals and International tournaments.

Wayne loved to spend time with his daughter and three grandchildren, whom he loved very much. His life was a rich and diverse tapestry with much love and many highlights, and he was grateful for it.

In accordance with Wayne's wishes, cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, May 8, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at The Prince Edward Legion, 300 Trent Avenue in Winnipeg.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Winnipeg Humane Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation or a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be left at Winnipeg Cremation Service - Alterna Cremation - MB. If you have a favorite picture of Wayne, please post it on the Alterna web page.

Tribute Link at: www.alternacremation.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 02, 2026