Barry Frederick Ferris (1939 - 2011)

[From all of us...To be posted soon in the Sierra Star and other Bay Area Papers]: 

Barry Frederick Ferris, born August 8, 1939, died Christmas morning due to complications from Alzheimer's Disease.  He was 72 years old. Barry was a strong father, coach and teacher. He was charismatic and always cared about the eductaion and future of his students and athletes.  Barry spent more than 30 years of his life teaching and coaching in Oakland, CA.  Most of these years were spent enriching the lives of his many students at Oakland High School. He taught classes in American History, Social Sciences and Wood Shop. During his career, he coached varsity basketball, football, baseball and golf.After retiring to Oakhurst, CA., in 1995, he managed the Wawona Golf Course and enjoyed the natural beauty of this Sierra course.

Barry also worked as a Sports Reporter at the Sierra Star.  He reported on as many games as he could attend and wrote a sports editorial entitled "View From the Grand Stand".  He received many favorable comments from parents, grandparents and athletes about his articles.There will be a burial and gathering in the Oak Hill Chapel in Oakhurst, CA. on Friday, Jan 13 at 2pm. Barry was as vibrant and involved with his family and friends as could be expected during his illness.

Barry and his wife Pam celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last September, during which time he danced with his grandaughter, daughter and wife. He loved to dance. Barry is survived by his wife Pam, his sons Ryan, Scott and Mitch, their wives Carol, Kerry and Laurie and his daughter Rebecca. He is also survived by his four grand-children Joseph, Sydney, Isabel and Rory.

[my addition]


The captain of our souls and the mentor of our minds has now left this Earth forever. Although his death was not a surprise, we grieve heavily. Yet,the charismatic father and husband we all knew would have us be proud, courageous, and joyous in spite of his passing.  He would ask us to be strong and to think about that which is important now: the health of our children and our families.

One of Dad's favorite poems was "Eternity' by the english poet William Blake (1757 - 1827):

He who binds to himself a joy
Does the winged life destroy
He who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity's sunrise

Dad: May you live in eternity's sunrise forever. You will always live as such in my heart.

See How They Shine...

"See how they shine

If you need a friend 

I'm sailing right behind

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind"

[From "Bridge Over Troubled Water" By Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel]

Still air around Bellingham this week...

Learning how to be a parent for two...

Lynnwood, WA at Sunset September 11, 2011

More pictures of the Lynnwood Convention Center

 

Thoughts on Fatherhood and other near-death experiences...

We were sitting in Lynnwood (WA) Olive Garden tonight, conversing sans child (Isabel is staying with friends...) as we await my wife's final amniocentesis prior to what will probably be Rory Alexander's birth at UW Medical Center. Once in my life I was a high five figure professional. I consulted for Fortune 100 companies, I ran trading floor technology for firms with names like JP Morgan, Montgomery Securities, Merrill Lynch, etc.  My life involved rising well before dawn, transiting by BART or commuting long hours to Silicon Valley. My mind and day was wrapped in whatever business model or technology the corporate world demanded of me.  Not too strangely, I felt spent and drawn at the end of every week; sometimes every day.

Hike up Excelsior Pass

The hike up Excelsior Pass was spectacular today.  Wildflowers are in full bloom. No real snow. Lots and lots of little black flies and some horse flies. 

Stand up paddle board race

Someone with an e-mail prefix of jobo@harbor.. asked me to send him some pictures of the paddle board race I was photographing on Saturday at Boulevard Park. But I must have not remembered his e-mail correctly. Anyway, here are some of those pictures:

Rory Alexander Lucero Ferris

Rory Alexander Lucero Ferris will be born (with any luck) on September 9th at UW Medical Center in Seattle and possibly transferred immediately to their neo-natal clinic upon birth. Yesterday, we had our *ninth* ultrasound. Carol will go in for one more amnio on September 8th and if the lungs are ready, Rory will entrance this world nearly on his 38th week.

We could use all of your good wishes and prayers until then.

Rory *may* have an almost always fatal condition known as non-immune hydropsy. However, he stubbornly refuses to show any of the "full blown" signs of this condition. The signs he does show are not enough for the doctors to understand exactly what is going on, even after *nine* ultrasounds! In any event, he is estimated to be 7lbs 9 oz as of yesterday. (Of course, I tell all our doctors about the size of my family :-)...). On Carol's small frame, you can just imagine....

Rory is very active in the womb, engages in fetal breathing, is sucking on his fingers (we actually saw this yesterday - such a *hungry Ferris* already!) and responds both to my voice and Isabel's voice. I have told him what we have waiting for him in our house of joy and family: a new crib, endless adoring relatives, multiple Sony Vaios, organic carrots from the garden, endless amounts of toys, and a beautiful community (Bellingham, WA) and neighborhood (Columbia) to grow up in!

Hope to see you soon on the other side, big guy!

NorthWest Washington (Lynden) County Fair

The NorthWest Washington County Fair has some pretty amazing sights..

On the way home from Yosemite Valley...

Heading South on CA 41 out of Yosemite Valley...

Nothing quite like an Overcast Sunday Afternoon in Skagit...

Panels above are Deception Pass; Panels Below are Anacortes Harbor and Rotary Park.  Great places to seek solitude and thoughtfulness on a warm and rainy Sunday evening....

Artist Point is deluged by Snow in mid July...

More pictures here..

Interesting Sky Tonight

A warm and wonderful Ski to Sea

Farmville

• Farmville America
• Location: A Backyard in Bellingham, WA
• Early Conditions: Wettest April on Record, Coldest May to date

More Pictures here

This is My Son

This is my son.  He has spent barely eighteen weeks in his mother's womb. Already the world has asked him many questions: 


Are you healthy, my son? 
Are you willing to come into this world?
Will you be like us?


But what questions will you ask of the world, my son?

Will you ask about Who or What? Or will you ask Why?
Will we roam the world  my son, and together ask Why?


Why is the ocean so sea-green on a beautiful, bright day?
Why are the heavens so filled with light on  a clear, dark night?
Why does the Red Robin sing so loud as the crimson sun sets?
Why do the tallest trees grow on the most forbidding mountains?


For you are my son, and I am your father. May we roam the world forever together and ask Why.  Because you are my Son and I am your Father and  the World shall Love You and You shall know Truth.

On the Dairy Field Trip...

Planting Fruit Trees...

What does it mean to plant six fruit trees? Does it mean you will have more fruit? A less expensive grocery bill? Or is it enough to say, "I created this with my daughter; we chose these trees together, carried them home on a sunny day in a wheel barrel, read the instructions on the 'bare root' plastic sack, and bermed our apples, cherries, and pear trees with river rock from our backyard." And all these moments, especially this glorious spring planting day, will now live in my mind as perfect, happy, and laughter filled forever.

Happiness is an hour at the butterfly exhibit....

 

 

Happiness is an hour at the butterfly exhibit at  Pacific Science Center in Seattle...

Global Warming or King Tides?

I took this picture while hiking Horseshoe Creek on January 22nd. I have never seen this bench wiped out in the 6 years Ihave been hiking this beautiful trail, which is located at mile marker 38.4 on WA Highway 542 (Sunset Highway). The NookSack was incredibly full that day, but I still saw one crazy river Kayaker (unusual in January!) plunging down the surging currents amidst the boulders. He looked completely happy and confident. I was above the river when I first saw him, and so followed with my eyes as far as I could. He got caught in one whirlpool, did a 360 and shot right on out of it with no more hesitation or concern than I give to a muddy trail.

A light dusting of snow

Snow dusted the streets of Bellingham last night. We will have more this week..