ST. LOUIS - John H. "Bud" Ferring III, founder and retired president of Plaze Inc., an aerosol-product packaging company located in St. Clair, MO, died Sept. 16 of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 84 and lived in suburban St. Louis.

Mr. Ferring graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 1939 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He served in the Navy in World War II, and held the rank of second lieutenant. He started Plaze, one of the country's early aerosol product packaging companies, in 1947 in St. Louis, and he invented several aerosol products, including a type of aerosol car polish. Mr. Ferring retired in 1987; the business is currently headed by his son, John H. Ferring IV. The company packages various aerosol products, including paints.

Mr. Ferring was a past president of Bellerive Country Club in suburban St. Louis, and was chairman of the club's greens committee during the 1965 U.S. Open at Bellerive. He was an accomplished golfer, and was Bellerive's golf champion in 1971. He scored five holes in one in his life.

In addition to his son, Mr. Ferring is survived by his wife, Georgene; a daughter, Carol Shepley; and six grandchildren.