Fergus J. McArdle, 94, of Surprise, AZ, passed away peacefully on January 17, 2023. Fergus was born August 16, 1928, in New York, New York to Irish immigrants.
Fergus is survived by his wife of 26 years, Mary Alice; daughter Linda; son Stephen; stepdaughter Dolores; 7 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren. Fergus is preceded in death by his son Michael and first wife, Genevieve.
During WWII, at the age of 18, Fergus enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp. He remained proud of being a Marine throughout his life and would say, “Once a Marine, always a Marine.”
Nothing meant more to Fergus than his faith in God, his beloved wife Mary, and his cherished family and friends. But being a sworn member of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), New York’s bravest for 20 years held a special place in his heart. He enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow firefighters, but more importantly it was their mission to serve others in need for which he felt such passion and pride. It was a calling that left him with an indelible sense of purpose and memories he would never forget and spoke of often.
Following his retirement from FDNY, Fergus moved to Arizona where he worked for the Paradise Valley School District for 14 years.
A funeral mass will be held on January 27, 2023, at 10:00 AM at Prince of Peace Church, Sun City West, AZ. Interment will be at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Phoenix, AZ.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Phoenix, AZ, an organization that Fergus regularly contributed to and felt strongly about. www.stvincentdepaul.net or call 602-266-4483.
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