Jim Ferris

1936 - 2025

Jim Ferris was born February 28, 1936, in Ithaca, New York. He had a BA degree from Yale University and MBA from Stanford University. Jim had been a resident of the Auburn area for 40 years. Before moving to Auburn, Jim headed up several management consulting businesses in Southern California. Jim summed up this work, "In my consulting business, Ferris & Associates, I worked for over a hundred clients-large and small, from billion-dollar companies to start ups." When not buried in financial and management data, Jim spent much of his spare time outdoors. As a successful marketing and business consultant in Southern California, Jim realized that he had the flexibility to carry his business with him and relocate to wherever he and his wife Norma wished. It was a whitewater rafting excursion on the South Fork American River that introduced them to our local area and gave them the inspiration to move here.

Jim claimed to be a fitness nut and had been one since he was little. His favorite activity was outdoor hiking and running. He also had a long history of interest and involvement in multiple sports and outdoor adventures. This ranged from handball to squash, scuba diving to mountain climbing, and trail running to skiing. Jim and his wife, Norma, went trekking with Sherpa guides in the high mountains of Pakistan and Nepal.

Jim had always had a volunteer spirit throughout his life. He was the founder of Auburn State Recreation Area Canyon Keepers and served as chair of the group for 10 years and continued to be active for another 15 years. During his time as chair, he co-authored the locally best-selling book American River Canyon Hikes, still popular today. Jim's attraction to the Auburn State Recreation Area was a natural fit for him, as he had a long history of interest and involvement in outdoor adventures. Jim was elected in 2008 as a member of the Auburn Area Recreation and Park District (ARD) Board of Directors and served on the Board until 2022. His passion and acute business sense were a special addition to the board. ARD Board member Sue Ingle described Jim's ARD service as "an active leader, organizer, and participant who followed a commonsense approach to problem solving." In another volunteer effort, Jim was active with the nonprofit, Protect the American River Canyons (PARC) working to protect and enhance the natural, recreational and cultural resources of the North and Middle Forks of the American River and Save the Auburn Ravine Salmon and Steelhead (SARSAS), dedicated to bringing salmon back to streams in the Auburn area.

In all his roles, Jim regularly submitted articles, notices, letters to the editor at the Auburn Journal and also wrote for the Auburn Journal as a guest columnist. Jim is survived by his second wife Norma Ferris, his two sons David and Michael and stepdaughter Shannon and stepson John.

Jim passed away on September 30, 2025. A Celebration of Life for Jim will be held November 21st at 12 noon at the ARD Recreation Park Stella Room, 123 Recreation Dr, Auburn. Donations can be made to the Jim Ferris Memorial Fund at the Friends of the ARD at: https://auburnrec.com/information/donate-now/. These funds will be used for a memorial bench or other appropriate improvement at ARD in Jim's name.