Ted Ferris OBITUARY
Ted passed away earlier this year and would have been 70 in September. Born and raised in the California Bay Area, he and his family moved to the Central Valley eventually settling in New Mexico. Ted attended Canyon High School in Castro Valley where he discovered he enjoyed working with engines and mechanical things, eventually becoming a master CNC machinist. His favorite hobby was working with cars and spent countless hours in high school working on Volkswagens (along with a bit of partying)! Ted's favorite place at home was the garage which always had a vehicle to work on using machines and tools from Dad and Grandpa.
Ted liked guns, too; he was very creative and could design unusual machines like his cookie tin BB Gatling gun – we love the video of him and family hysterically laughing while trying to hit his backyard target bullseye with it. He possessed a quirky sense of humor along with an amazing memory and became the informal family historian because he could remember who did what when we couldn't. He enjoyed regaling us with the story of when, as a toddler, he climbed our tall backyard fence and walked along the entire block fence line naked. Young Ted liked to hike and explored the desert, mountain and river areas of California, and took himself on a "Grand European Adventure".
Older Ted hiked and biked in New Mexico and often visited his kids and grandkids. He took beloved family dog Scooby with him everywhere and pampered her with ice cream pup cups. Ted loved going to Ben's cabin in the mountain woods of California near where the family cabin had been. He could be found every 4th of July at our Mom's big party where he helped Mom and Sherry set it up then really enjoyed himself! He kept in touch with neighborhood kids and school friends he grew up with. If you needed help, he was there for you whether you were family, friend or neighbor.
He was not perfect but he was perfectly Ted – an all-round decent guy who brought out the best in people by really listening and caring. We all love and miss him – family and friends, kids, and grandkids. We miss him walking unannounced into our house and shouting out his hello. We miss calling him with news. Candi misses asking him how to fix the pocket doors or borrowing tools or baking him white peach pie for his birthday. Not being able to talk with him anymore is sadder than words can say. Ted, we will always miss you – every day. Love, your sisters, Sherry and Candi, and our families.
