Jamie Lynne Ferency

Jamie Lynne Ferency, 55, of Carmel, passed away on Tuesday July 18, 2023, at IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis. She was born on July 30, 1967, to Keith and Shirley (Miller) Smith in Los Angeles, California. 

Coming from a family of deep Christian faith, Jamie attended First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood (1967-79), Covenant Presbyterian Church in West Lafayette (1979-03), and Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis (since 2003). 

As a “Valley Girl” from Los Angeles, Jamie quickly made friends in Indiana as she was heavily involved in athletics. Jamie and her family moved to West Lafayette, IN in 1979 when Jamie was in the 8th grade as Keith took the job of Dean at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Basketball, Volleyball and Track were her favorite sports, and I think if you go into West Lafayette High School’s gymnasium you can still hear the echo of Keith yelling at Jamie “take the ball to the hoop.” Jamie was a fierce competitor and a fantastic athlete her entire life. 

Jamie attended Purdue University, earning degrees in Organizational Leadership in 1990, and a PharmD in Pharmacy in 2002. Jamie worked initially as a Pharmacist at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Oregon, where she was the night pharmacist solely responsible for all the hospital’s patients. She thrived in the demanding environment of codes and ever-changing patient needs.  

On October 27, 2001, at a Purdue University Homecoming Football game, Jamie was re-united with a college classmate named Jon Ferency, with whom she originally met while taking her father’s Finance Management class back in 1987. On that day in October, Jon correctly predicted to his friends upon returning to his seat after seeing Jamie “I just met the girl I am going to marry.” They were engaged on October 31, 2003, at Butler University’s Bell Tower, a site they frequently visited to celebrate their marriage on September 11, 2004, at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. 

 Prior to their marriage, Jamie and Jon moved to Carmel, Indiana where Jamie took a job with Walgreens, where she would work until the time of her passing. Jamie worked as a floater pharmacist, taking shifts around Jon’s schedule, so that their sons would never have the need for childcare. The wellbeing and nurturing of her sons were always Jamie’s number one priority. Jamie blessed Jon with two sons, Elijah, born in 2008 and Josiah, born in 2010. Jamie’s devotion to Elijah and Josiah was the center of her existence. She was the best mother, supporting the boys in every venture they tried.  

Jamie was an avid traveler, taking trips with the boys each summer to either Phoenix, AZ, or Portland, OR to hike and visit with family and friends. As a family, Jamie, Jon, Elijah and Josiah often took family holiday trips to Hilton Head Island, SC. She was always ready to jump on the next plane to visit with friends and family. 

Jamie’s athletic prowess continued until her cancer diagnosis in May of 2022. Jamie played tennis at the Carmel Racquet Club, ran multiple half-marathons, and beat everyone she played in Ping-Pong and Horse.  

Jamie tackled cancer like she did life, head on and with a purpose. On that day in May of 2022, Jon and Jamie were floored with the news that Jamie had lymphoma in the morning, and then traveled to Cincinnati’s Riverbend Music Center to see their favorite band, Tears for Fears. 

Cancer slowed her down, but it did not slow down her dedication to her boys or her life. Jamie continued to work until just a few months ago, and she was active as ever in supporting the boys’ activities at school and in the community. Jamie was a highly active member of the PTO at Carey Ridge Elementary, serving as Treasurer for many years and was recently a Board member of the Westfield Education Foundation.  

The thing that made Jamie shine was her faith. She was an avid reader, constantly doing yearly Bible Studies, filling reams of notebooks with her personal notes on her personal relationship with Jesus and biblical understanding of God’s guiding presence. Jamie was never fearful of the cancer in her body, and her faith had her prepared when she was called home to the presence of God. Her family is comforted knowing Jamie is celebrating in heaven, free of the burden of cancer. 

She is survived by her husband Jon; children Elijah and Josiah; sister Julie Harney (Doug) of Bloomington, IN; stepbrother Scott Brown of Phoenix, Arizona; stepmother Jane Smith of West Lafayette, IN; mother-in-law Karen Ferency of Carmel, IN; sister-in-law Kelli Hackett (Donnie) of Carmel, IN; nephew Alex Hackett (Katy) of Charlotte, NC; and nieces Abigail Hackett of Carmel, IN, Rachel Hackett of Los Angeles, CA and Grace Hackett of New York, New York.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother.  

Services will be at Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis on Thursday July 27, 2023. There will be a celebration of life from 1:00 – 2:00 pm, followed by a reception from 2:00 – 4:00 pm.