Noted philanthropist and former president, director and Board chairman of Purvis Ltd., Roderick Ferguson has passed away at the age of 94.

His son, Roderick Ferguson, Jr., said his father was "an empire builder".

The elder Roddy Ferguson was fiercely competitive with older, established, richer Bermudian families such as the Trimingham's, his son said.

However, never a showy man, Mr. Ferguson only splashed on jewellery for his wife, trips for the family and the education of his children, so that even his family did not know the extent of his savings.

They also did not know until after his death that the reserved, seemingly unromantic man wrote poetry ? a discovery that seemed to show another side to the shrewd businessman. Mr. Ferguson, whose twin, Benni, passed away when the pair were in their 80s, married Marguerite Woods, a Canadian, in 1939. The couple had three children: Diane, Janette, and Roderick, Jr.

Mrs. Ferguson was confined to Westmeath for the last years of her life and Mr. Ferguson became a familiar figure at the home visiting her. Mrs. Ferguson passed away in March at the age of 91.

Though confined to a wheelchair in his later years, Mr. Ferguson was not shy of adventure. In August of 1933 he set sail on the , a small ship bound for Gibraltar, a trip that was estimated to take about 12 days.

But the ship was becalmed, and the 12-day trip turned into a 49-day ordeal. The families on shore had given their loved ones up for lost ? had even run an article saying a Bermudian was believed lost at sea ? when the ship was able to hail a passing destroyer.

The destroyer was able to give them some supplies ? gratefully received after 25 days of nothing but corned beef and two glasses of water per day ? and the finally limped into Gibraltar where, after sending cables to their families, the crew promptly drank to their safety.

Mr. Ferguson joined Purvis Limited in 1934. In the 44 years he was with the company he saw it grow from eight people in a tiny office on Burnaby Street with almost no warehouse facilities to a force of more than 100 with one of the most up-to-date warehouse facilities in Bermuda.

He retired from Purvis Limited on December 31, 1978, becoming an honorary chairman. In a resume-type document describing his life that Mr. Ferguson wrote in 1981, he said one of the most rewarding experiences was his close association with the founder of Purvis Limited, William Purvis.

"I was able to assist him with practical ideas in utilising his wealth so that it would be made available during his lifetime and also continue to work for the benefit of future generations," Mr. Ferguson wrote.

"He kept looking at lost opportunities," his son, Roderick Ferguson, Jr. said.

Those "practical ideas" and lost opportunities included the creation of the Bermuda Foundation in 1960.

The organisation went on to donate wheelchairs to the hospitals and individuals, contribute significant monies towards the low-cost housing at Purvis and Heydon Parks, and give financial assistance to Bermudians, Americans and Canadians.

Mr. Ferguson was also a trustee of the Bermuda Housing Trust, the organisation formed to assist in housing for seniors, including Elizabeth Hills, Purvis and Heydon Parks.

A member of Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, the Red Cross, the Bermuda Citrus Association, the Corporation of Hamilton; and trustee to the Bermuda High School, the Purvis-Sutherland Trust, and the Wesley Methodist Church, he was made a Member of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975.

He was also a director of the Bermuda Telephone Company Ltd., which his father founded, as well as of the Bank of Butterfield and the Bermuda Bakery Ltd.

In more recent years Mr. Ferguson was best known for his contributions to seniors and Westmeath in particular. "He was the driving force behind a lot of things here," Westmeath director James Davis said. "He will be sadly missed."

Made an honorary member of Age Concern just weeks before his death, Mr. Ferguson was responsible for the new wing added to Westmeath seven years ago, the R.A. Ferguson wing.

The funeral for Mr. Ferguson was held at the Wesley Methodist Church yesterday.

Mr. Ferguson Jr. said when they brought his father to the funeral home two and a half months ago to see his wife lying in state, the usually undemonstrative man did not shed a tear.

Instead, he looked at her and said: "Well Peggy, we had a good innings. One of us had to go first and I'm sorry it had to be you. But don't worry. I'll be with you shortly."