Dean F. Ferris 1927-2020

He was born Aug. 16, 1927, a son of Frank F. and Ethel B. Ferris. He was born and raised on the South Side of Youngstown, where he lived on Idlewood Avenue, and he graduated from South High school in June of 1945. He then enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He had one brother, Duane R. Ferris, now deceased, who was a high school teacher who lived in Burton.

Dean graduated in 1951 from Ohio Northern University, College of Law, and practiced probate law for 65 years, before retiring Aug. 31, 2015. He was a member of the Mahoning County and State of Ohio bar associations. His son, Ted A. Ferris, is now a magistrate in Mahoning County Juvenile Court.

He married Shirley Jean Shaw in 1948. They lived in Ada during law school. Their son, Ted, was born in 1951, and their daughter, now Carolee Daroux, was born in Poland in 1954.

While living in Poland, Dean served on the Poland Village Council, and after moving into Poland Township, he was elected to the Poland Board of Education. The family attended Poland United Methodist Church.

After 20 years of happy marriage, his wife, Shirley, died of cancer.

On July 11, 1969, Dean married the former Dolores (Pearl) Sinn, and welcomed her five children, Sharlene, Clifford, Deborah, Leslie and Robin, to his family. Dean and Dolores “Dee” enjoyed 50 blessed years of marriage. They resided in Canfield Township and were members of the Western Reserve United Methodist Church until her death Dec. 2, 2019.

LOVE and SERVICE were the motivations of his life. He learned to love God in his early youth in Sunday school. He loved, dearly, each wife, his children, parents, brother and grandparents, plus 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

His service to others was exemplified in his membership to Optimist International Clubs for 65 years, serving as president, lieutenant governor and distinguished governor of the Ohio District. He was elected vice president of Optimist International in 1965. He was a member of the Austintown Optimist Club at the time of his passing.

Dean was the voice of “Sports Talk,” a weekly radio program covering the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns and the Ohio State Buckeyes during football season for 38 years over a private radio station for the blind and disabled in Youngstown, Radio Reading. He went to the Indians spring training for 28 years and did radio interviews for his listeners to enjoy.

He became a Mason om 1981, and was a past master of Hillman Lodge (now Wick Lodge). He was a member of Allen Lodge No. 276 in Columbiana and he served three years as a district deputy grand master.

He was a member of Al Koran and the Youngstown Shrine Club. He was a member of Aut Mori Grotto and its clown unit for 30 years. He performed as “Dizzy Dean” the clown, where his compensation was “Bringing a smile to the face of a child.”

Dean was a 65-year member of the Central YMCA, HFD, Noon Aquatics Class, which he partially credits for his long and healthy life. At the age of 86, in 2014, he fulfilled a lifelong dream to skydive.

Dean is survived by his children, Ted (Joan) Ferris of Columbiana, Sharlene (Chris) Sipple and Deborah (John) Cotton, both of Canfield, Leslie Griffith and Robin Russo, both of Alto, Mich., and Clifford (Mary Jo) Sinn of Austintown; 13 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Dean was preceded in death by his daughter, Carolee Daroux; a grandson, Billy; and a son-in-law, Mike Russo.

Due to COVID-19 and Dean’s request, a private family service was held Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, at Davis-Becker Funeral Home, 8536 Market Street in Boardman, with Reverend Russ Adams officiating.

The family requests that material tributes take the form of contributions to Western Reserve United Methodist Church, 4580 Canfield Road, Canfield, OH 44406, or to the Youngstown Radio Reading Service, 2747 Belmont Ave. Youngstown, OH 44505, in memory of Dean.

Condolences may be sent at www.beckerobits.com.

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