Robert Ferini

Robert Patrick Ferini

1942 - 2025

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our dad, grandpa, brother, uncle, husband, and friend, Robert Patrick Ferini, 82, on January 29th, 2025. Patrick was born on May 5, 1942, in San Luis Obispo, CA to Milo and Patricia Ferini. He was the youngest of three brothers and spent most of his childhood and adolescence living and working on the ranch near the tiny town of Betteravia. Patrick attended elementary school in Guadalupe and graduated from Santa Maria High School with the class of 1960, where he played football and other sports and created many lifelong friendships as well as dating a beautiful girl named Jeri Belier. In 1960, he and Jeri married and moved to Santa Ana, CA where he continued his education at Orange Coast College while working for Plas-Ties, a company his dad had invested in with a friend. Patrick and Jeri had their first daughter there and shortly after moved back to Santa Maria, where they settled and would have three more daughters within the next 9 years.

Patrick continued working for his father, Milo, and Nick Ardantz (F & A) until 1962, when he, his brother, Milo, and Nick's son, Henri formed Betteravia Farms. These two generations, the third and now fourth generations, and their families were recently able to celebrate 90 years in business. This legacy began in 1932 with the first generation and continued to be one of his proudest accomplishments. When he and his partners bought out the other shareholders of Bonita Packing Company, they changed locations and continued to grow the business, adding new ownership with the third generation. He was able to enjoy and take pride in working with and sharing his knowledge with his grandsons in the fourth generation as well.

It is hard to put a start date to when Patrick began his farming career as it is ingrained in who he was. His generation started a company over 60 years ago but he's been connected to the soil and the earth for so much longer than that, planting seeds of all kinds that continue to spread new life and new opportunities for future generations. He has always remained true to the legacy of caring for and respecting the people who work in the company and always considered them family.

Throughout his career he was a member of the Santa Maria Valley Grower-Shipper organization, Western Growers Association, a lifetime member of Vaqueros de los Ranchos, a member of the Elk's Club 1538, and served as president of Santa Maria Country Club for many years. He was honored with his partners as 2019 Farmers of the Year at the Santa Barbara County Fair. He also shared with his wife, Jeri the honor of being recognized by Santa Barbara Foundation's Celebrate Philanthropy as one of the 2016 honorees for their kindness and generosity.

He shared so many wonderful experiences with family and friends and demonstrated such great examples of kindness and generosity. He was a good listener who truly cared about people and would offer help to anyone in need. He loved his family deeply and shared his emotions openly. He was an avid golfer, played tennis, swam, waterskied, snow skied and his BBQs were among the best. He enjoyed spending time at Lake Nacimiento, Avila Beach and anywhere he was close enough to where he could get back to work the next day. He enjoyed giving back to the community that gave him so much and sharing what he had with others. He was a friend to everyone and even though he experienced health struggles and frustration with his declining mobility, he always had hope that there would be a solution and anticipated future events with friends and family. If you were a friend, you were family and as each family member married and became part of another, he welcomed that family as his own.

Our dad had a renewed connection to his faith and found strength and courage in knowing where this journey was taking him. Thank you Fr. Ed Jalbet for your presence in his life.

We love you, Dad/grandpa and miss you so much, but find comfort knowing you are with our Lord, at peace, without worry or pain, and reunited with all those you've missed.

Patrick was preceded in death by his parents, Milo and Patricia, his brother, Peter Ferini, and his great-granddaughter, Ryan Grace May.

He is survived by his wife, Jeri, daughters and sons-in-laws, Christine and Craig Reade, Julie and Darren Epps, Joan and Tom Sumner, Sara and Tom Minetti, all of Santa Maria: grandkids, Anthony and Jillian Reade, Ryan Epps, Lindsay and Richard Cabigon, Sara and Cameron May, Andrew Reade, Kyle Minetti, Lauren and Travis Gumke, Joshua and Colleen Epps, Brooke Minetti, Kayla Minetti, Grace Minetti; great-grandchildren, Gavin May, Milo Cabigon, Landry May, Eloise Cabigon, Rhodes Cabigon, Ellie Reade; brother and sister in law, Milo and Georganne Ferini and many cousins, nieces, and nephews and dear friends as well as caregivers, Maria, Rowena, Sally, Lupe, and Veronica.

In place of flowers please consider donating to Hats for Hope, or the charity of your choice in honor of Patrick.

There will be a Mass on Monday, February 10, 2025 at 10:00 am at St. Louis de Montfort Church.

Visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com to leave a condolence for the family.