Joseph V. Ferry
December 18, 1919 - January 20, 2015
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Joseph V. Ferry
December 18, 1919 - January 20, 2015
Obituary
Joseph V. Ferry passed away in Bellingham on Tuesday January 20, 2015 at 10:15 am. He was born on December 18, 1919 in Cambridge Massachusetts.
In his youth, Joe hitched rides, rode freight trains and pitched camps from Massachusetts to Mexico and back. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps in New Hampshire working both as a clerk and in the field on various projects. In 1945 Joe graduated from Salem Teachers College and began his long career as a teacher. He started here in the U.S., teaching high school for 8 years in Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Joe continued teaching with the Department of Defense as an education advisor for troops in post-occupation Japan for 4 and a half years, later guiding military dependents “on-base” as a high school teacher in Germany, France, Libya and Japan for 28 years.
During Joe’s remarkable, adventurous life of hitchhiking, train hopping, world travel and service, he drove stick shift, fought forest fires in Nevada and was able to type 50 wpm on a mechanical typewriter; he did all these things literally “singlehanded”- a congenital birth defect prevented the use of his right arm.
Joe was a dedicated husband, a devoted father, a great friend, and an inspiration to generations of students across the globe. Joe said the highlights of his life were: “the decades in the field of education in the US and abroad; the friends I made along the way; meeting and marrying my wonderful Japanese wife; and my daughter who was made in France, born in Libya and raised in Japan.”
His funeral service will be held on January 30th at 1pm at Moles Farewell Tributes – Greenacres at 5700 Northwest Drive in Ferndale, WA 98248.
Graveside Service
- Date & Time: January 30, 2015 (12:00 AM)
- Venue: Moles Farewell Tributes - Greenacres
- Location: 5700 Northwest Dr Ferndale, WA 98248 - (Get Directions)
18 responses to Joseph V. Ferry
Craig J. Beaudry says:
January 20, 2015
Mr.Ferry was a superior educator. He truly cared. He was always encouraging and sincere. He was just and true. He made a difference for me and countless other students of Zama High School, Japan. We will surely miss him for a little while. I have peace knowing he is no longer suffering. The Lord and his Angels are restoring him and giving him the grand tour of Heaven. He is being welcomed by family, friends, and students that have gone on ahead of him. The best part is, we will be seeing him again someday. AMEN! Peace be with you all. ~Craig Beaudry
judy says:
January 20, 2015
A lovely tribute to your dad Lucy. You’ve sent me so many words of courage and strength when I have been lost in grief, I hope you find light and strength in all the love we send you back, if there is anything I can do, do not hesitate to ask, I am so very sorry for your loss, nothing can prepare you, so many different feelings, and the big waves that pull you off your feet, we are here, I am here, to stand with you whenever you need, Biggest hugs to you and your mom, your dad is in the light, he caught this new moon damn near perfect to the Rainbow bridge, love you, he’s so proud of you! xo, Jude
Jeannie Feliciano says:
January 20, 2015
I apologize for the belated condolences – I just read about his passing.I’m an alumna of Zama American High School in Japan. While I didn’t have Mr. Ferry as a teacher, I remember him walking the halls- – always with a smile on his face, always willing to help a student. My deepest condolences to his family.
Peggy Watson says:
January 20, 2015
Bad jokes. Really bad, repetitive jokes. But boy, did I laugh at each one of them, all the while Kimmie would roll her eyes at the sheer pain of listening to yet another bad, bad joke for the umpteenth time. What a beautiful, storied life you led, Mr. Ferry. And I am truly honored to have partaken of a small, but hopefully meaningful part of it. Aloha ‘Oe, until we meet again.
Sachi (Utsunomiya) Hwangbo says:
January 20, 2015
Dear Ferry Family, my heart and thoughts go out to you in this time of loss. I graduated from Zama High School in 1989 and I took Mr. Ferry’s classes in Typing and Shorthand. I lived off base and walked to school from Soubudai Mae station, which was quite a long walk for a high schooler with heavy bookbag. Mr. Ferry often stopped when he saw me to give me a lift to school. I remember his smiling, friendly face. I marveled at how he could drive a stick shift so expertly! I always appreciated his kindness.
With Deepest Sympathy,
Sachi Utsunomiya Hwangbo