Loa M. Fergot

Loa M. Fergot, age 94, passed peacefully on June 26 at Evergreen Retirement Community. She was born Loa Hutchins on February 28, 1924 in Neenah, WI and enjoyed a childhood filled with music, games, swimming and plenty of fun as one of seven children. After graduating from Neenah High School, she married Paul Fergot on September 5, 1942. Four months later she followed him to Miami Beach where he began his training as an Army Air Forces cadet. For a year and a half she followed him to each training site, finding lodging and jobs to support herself and enjoying brief opportunities to share time with Paul. In the European Theater, Paul’s B-24 was shot down over Italy and Loa endured many months of uncertainty before learning that he had been captured and was a German prisoner of war in Stalag Luft 1.

After the war Loa was active in the community, working as church secretary at First Congregational Church, participating in Community Theater, and raising her two sons. She brought music into the lives of her sons and grandchildren, playing her piano to share her love of the classics; in later years the daycare children would stop to enjoy her playing as they took walks through the Evergreen grounds. In 1967 she was hired by the young Congressman William A. Steiger to run his home office in Oshkosh. As Office Manager for the 6th Congressional District, she navigated Bill’s busy schedule, piles of correspondence, and calls and visits from constituents who wanted to express opinions or request assistance. After Congressman Steiger’s untimely death in December 1978, Loa took a position in the OSHA office in Appleton until her retirement in 1985. Shortly after this she and Paul were invited to produce The Bohemian Girl, the first production in the magnificently restored Grand Opera House which re-opened in October 1986. Their many years of involvement, both on stage and behind the scenes producing shows with the Oshkosh Community Players, qualified Loa and Paul uniquely for this critical role. Loa spent the remainder of her retirement years becoming an award-winning watercolor artist; her outstanding paintings were matted and framed by Paul and have been displayed and sold at many local art shows.

Loa is survived by her sister Miriam; son Dion (Jacqueline) of Indianapolis; son Gary (Diane) of Oshkosh; grandchildren Kennan, Lauren, Alex, Andrew, Kristen (Justin), and Tristan; and great-granddaughter Adelle and great-grandson Levi. She is also survived by her adopted family, Hossein and Mina Ghannad and their children Mary, Mehdy, and Leila. Preceding Loa in death were her husband Paul, parents Kennan and Amy, and brothers, Farley, Bruce, and Chuck and sisters, Kathleen and Janet.

The family is working on service arrangements for later this summer. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Oshkosh Area Community Band which Loa and Paul loved and supported from their very first concert in 1987. Or, if you wish, please donate to a local organization that would be consistent with your memories of what mattered to Loa.