Copyright Baltimore Sun
Dr. Robert Patrick Ferguson, former chief of medicine at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, died of heart failure following a stroke Oct. 22 at Towson Rehabilitation and HealthCare Center. The Lutherville resident was 79. Born in New York City and raised in Albany, he was the son of Dr. Frank Ferguson, a physician, and his wife, Joan Lonergan Ferguson. A 1964 graduate of Vincentian High School, he earned his bachelor’s and medical degrees at Cornell University, where he played football and baseball. While attending Cornell, he met his future wife, Diane Marie Strickland, on a blind date. They often attended races at Saratoga Springs. Dr. Ferguson later worked in rural clinics in Jamaica as part of a Cornell-sponsored program. He and his wife later settled in Hartford, Connecticut, where he served at Mount Sinai Hospital, first as chief resident and then as chief of medicine for nearly 15 years. In 1992, the couple moved to Baltimore, where he became chief of medicine at Union Memorial Hospital. They initially lived on Hawthorn Road in Roland Park. He led Union Memorial’s training program for two decades and mentored numerous young physicians. He also served as a clinical professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and later taught at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. Dr. Ferguson published scientific articles on internal medicine and founded a journal dedicated to community medicine. He was also a specialist in geriatric medicine. “My father had a legacy of intellect, commitment and quiet leadership,” said his son, Michael Ferguson. “He was known for his dry wit, steady presence and unwavering integrity.” A licensed pilot, Dr. Ferguson flew a single-engine Cessna around New England. He had a deep interest in the Civil War and visited battlefields at Antietam, Gettysburg and Fredericksburg. “Friends and family also knew him for his quirks, such as his strange devotion to the obscure comedy program ‘The Uncle Floyd Show,’” his son said of the cult comedy program. He remained an avid sports fan and followed the Orioles and the Ravens. He was an original season-ticket holder for the Ravens. Survivors include his wife, Diane Marie Ferguson, a Catholic Charities mental-health school counselor; a son, Michael P. Ferguson, of Severna Park; two brothers, Brian Ferguson, of New York City, and Philip Ferguson, of Tucson, Arizona; two sisters, Kate Ferguson, of New York City, and Margaret Ferguson Kleinman, of Westchester, New York; and two grandchildren. A daughter, Kelly Ferguson, died in 2007. A memorial service will be held Nov. 22 in Baltimore. For details, contact his son at mpfergus@hotmail.com.
