Donald Ferris

1931 - 2021

Donald Ferris
November 11, 1931 - June 30, 2021
Wellton, Arizona - Donald J. Ferris, 89, passed away June 30th at home in Wellton AZ. Don was born to Gilbert and Lucille Ferris and raised on the family wheat farm in Lacrosse, Washington. From the age of 11 he was highly involved in the county 4-H program and raised many award-winning beef projects. In addition to his many accomplishments, he was chosen to join a delegation of 25 from the state of Washington to attend the National 4-H Club contest in Chicago. In High School he lettered in Football, Basketball, and Baseball. He graduated from Lacrosse High School and attended Washington State University. He was a member of the Washington State Basketball team and the Livestock Judging team. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.
Don served active duty in Korea as a tele typist sending coded messages during the war. He was also able to play all over the West and in Korea on the Army Basketball team. Don met Grace Burns in college and they were married on October 31, 1953 while Don was home on leave. They moved to Olympia Washington where Don was stationed. When Don was discharged in 1955, they moved to the Ferris family farm in Lacrosse, WA where they lived and worked. Don's interests in the cattle industry moved them to Jordan Valley, Oregon in 1964. There, they owned and worked a cattle ranch on Cow Creek with their two children Scott and Kay. They left the ranch in 1989 and lived in Boise. He went to work at Lucky Peak Nursery and worked there for 10 years making many lifelong friends. Don and Grace started going South to Arizona for the winter in 2000. Since that time, they lived most of the time in Welton, Arizona. When Grace died in 2015, they had been married for 61 years. Don continued to live in Welton, AZ on Scott's property and would travel to the Boise area each summer to spend a couple months with Kay and husband Dave.
Don would fondly remember the boys' basketball team he coached while still living in Jordan Valley. Don was quite an athlete in his own right, and loved watching sports. He and Grace would travel to Boise to watch Boise State Basketball games. They loved to watch their grandkids participate in their sports.
Don loved to hunt and deep-sea fish. The family took many trips to the Oregon coast to vacation and to fish. He also hunted deer and elk and went on several packing trips to hunt elk in the rugged Minam country in Oregon.
Don had a real love for the game of golf. In his retirement years he spent a lot of time working on his game. Many good friends were made at this time. He could strike up a conversation with anyone and seemed to befriend everyone he met.
Dad is survived by his Sister Eleanor Shelton (Ken), son, Scott Ferris, daughter Kay Maffey (Dave), grandchildren Ryan Ferris (Sarah), Erica Baldry (Bill), Aaron Ferris, Travis Maffey, Chad Maffey, Jenna Maffey Hodson (Sheridan) and numerous great grandchildren.