Jack Ferchau

Jack Ferchau, 83, of Stillwater passed from this life on January 22, 2015 at his home in Stillwater with his loving family by his side. Services have been entrusted to the care of Palmer Marler Funeral Home. A service celebrating Jacks remarkable life will be held on Tuesday January 27th at 10:00am at Sunnybrook Christian Church in Stillwater with interment to follow at 2:30pm at Memorial Park Cemetery in Enid. Public visitation will be held on Monday, January 26th from 9:00am to 7:00pm with the family greeting friends at the funeral home from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
Jack was born on February 4, 1931 in El Dorado, KS to Howard Doyle Moore and Mildred Thurlene Millard. His family moved to Enid in the mid-1940s and Jack Graduated from Enid High Schools class of 1949. While at Enid High, Jack met Jane Alice Mayberry and shortly after graduation Jack married his high school sweetheart. In 1951, Jack entered the United States Army and headed to California for basic training. Jack served in the Army Infantry during the Korean War where he fought in many battles including the Battle of Bloody Ridge and the Battle on Heartbreak Hill.
Following his honorable discharge in 1953, Jack returned to Enid and that fall he enrolled in the University of Oklahoma. While at OU, Jack had the honor to play for Coach Bud Wilkinsons Sooner football team during the start of their unprecedented 47 game winning streak. In 1954 he welcomed the birth of his son Mark Edward and a few years later, graduated from OU with a Bachelors Degree in Geology.
Jack spent a short time working and living in several small oilfield towns in Texas before returning home to Enid to raise his family. In 1960, Jacks daughter Elizabeth Jane (Betsy) joined the family. Jack spent the next three decades working as a petroleum geologist. He co-founded FCD Oil Company and D&J Oil Company with his business partners and made many major oil and gas discoveries in northern Oklahoma. In April of 1987, Jack married Patricia (Dean) Abercrombie at his lake house on Grand Lake.
In the early 1990s Jack retired to spend more time with his family. He did some private consulting work for friends, but spent most of his time golfing, boating, and doing yard work. In 2000, Jack and Pat moved to Stillwater where Jack was very active in the local community. He was a member of Sunnybrook Christian Church, Stillwater Country Club, and the Stillwater Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors. Jack was a talented artist and enjoyed drawing and painting. He also enjoyed traveling with Pat to Arizona, Germany, and up and down both coasts. Jack was always up for attending a college sporting event and even though he was a huge Sooner fan, Jack always supported the Cowboys and was a long-time season ticket holder.
Jack was a family man who always made them his first priority. No matter how busy he was with work, he always made time for his kids. Whether it be coaching his sons little league team, driving from a well site in Northern Oklahoma after an 18 hr work day to take his daughter to her horse show, or watching his grandkids play soccer or baseball, Jack was always there. Jack also had many wonderful friends and the highlight of his day was meeting them each morning for breakfast at Grannies Kitchen or sitting on his back patio and visiting with his friends as they passed by on their golf carts.
Jack Ferchau was a kind-hearted man who loved life. He had a great sense of humor, a quick wit, and he loved to make others smile. He always put the needs of others before his own and although he was sick, Jack never complained and was always more concerned about others than he was about himself. Jack was a loving husband, a protective father, a proud grandpa, a generous volunteer and a loyal friend whose legacy of unselfish compassion and hard work will live on in the lives of those he leaves behind.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers Bob and Tony. He is survived by his best friend and the love of his life, Pat Ferchau of the home. Two Children: Mark Ferchau and wife Lisa of Houston, TX and Betsy Avery and husband Greg of Stillwater, OK. He is also survived by four grandchildren, whom he adored: Alex and Matthew Ferchau of Houston, TX and Brooke and James Avery of Stillwater, OK.
The family would like to thank all of Jacks friends for their kindness and support during his illness.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in Jacks name to the Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation in care of Palmer Marler Funeral Home. 5106 N. Washington. Stillwater, OK 74075
Condolences may be sent to the family via an online guestbook at www.pmcfh.com