Ross James Ferlita Sr.

On Saturday, July 21, a visitation (10-11am) and service (11am) will be held at Garden of Memories, 4207 E. Lake Ave., Tampa, 33610. A reception will be held immediately following.

Ross was born on September 7, 1937 at Tampa General Hospital and has lived on Davis Islands since he was 7 years old. He attended Gorrie Elementary, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School (before it was air conditioned), and Plant High School, where he graduated as a Panther in 1957. There, he was known as “Furbite” on the football team and injured his left knee at his senior year Plant vs. Hillsborough game, which plagued him throughout his life and caused 4 arthroscopic surgeries and a knee replacement a year and a half ago.

Ross served as Director of the City of Tampa Parks for 25 years, and deputy director for the five years prior. In 2002, Ross oversaw a $16M annual budget, directed the activities of 7 managers, 327 fulltime and 24 part-time employees for the betterment of 165 parks with a total of 2022 acres in the city of Tampa, including four beaches, four cemeteries, two marinas and ten boat ramps. Managing the greenspace at 30 playgrounds and 26 community centers were also part of his responsibility, as well as post-parade Gasparilla clean-ups. Some of the major projects completed under his direction were: Cotanchobee Park, part of a major acquisition of four acres of waterfront greenspace along the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa, now known as “The RiverWalk”; Sulphur Springs Park; a 40-acre park and playground complex in New Tampa and the Cancer Survivors’ Park in Al Lopez (formerly Horizon) Park.

All of Tampa’s trails were named “Ross J. Ferlita Tampa Greenways and Trails” running throughout the entire city’s parks.

Prior to joining the City, Ross had experience in the private sector and served as senior planner with the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission. He was a certified leisure professional and served his profession in many capacities, including State President of the Florida Recreation and Park Association (FRPA) in 1998. He co-chaired the National Recreation and Park (NRPA) conference in 2002, bringing 10,000 leisure professionals to attend sessions in Tampa for a week, which raised $32,000 for the State association.

A graduate of the University of Florida, Ross received the Distinguished Alumnus in Landscape Architecture Award in 1995. (Go, Gators!)

At any given time during his tenure with the City, he served on 10 to 13 not-for-profit organizations. He was one of the key founders of ZooTampa (aka Lowry Park Zoo), and the Mayor’s Beautification Program, now known as Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB). He was an Eagle Scout and a Troop 4 leader for many years, lauding the work of the Boy Scouts of America. He was a proud member of The Italian Club and the Davis Islands Civic Association.

His father, Americo Ferlita, was a doctor of medicine, in private practice, who graduated from Loyola University. He was often paid in cigars and fruit, when patients lacked money. He was hired to be a physician for Hillsborough County just prior to his death. His paternal and maternal grandparents migrated to Ybor City from Santo Stefano, Sicily.

His mother, Antonina Tagliarini Ferlita, came to America when she was 13. She graduated from the nursing school of St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL. She was well known as a Queen of the Italian Club and in Tampa’s Garden Club circles.

Ross took his mother’s passion for her garden to new heights in horticulture. Anyone who ever saw his yard on Davis Islands knew that he loved gardening, especially with all Florida native species of plants. Being outdoors was his Heaven.

Hunting remained his primary obsession pre-and post-retirement. He served as Hunt Master of EK Ranch, and of the Tuten Hunt Club in South Carolina for many years. Fishing, boating and being on the water were secondary “addictions” which he enjoyed to the fullest.

He is survived by: Jane Toombs, his beloved wife of 27 years (March 15, 1991); and his ex-wife, Virginia Ellis Ferlita (Rennie Law), mother of his sons; and his sons Ross James Ferlita, Jr. and Robert Americo Ferlita. He is mourned by his two brothers, Don (JoAnn) Ferlita and Frank Ferlita, and their children, as well as Ross Jr.s’ wife, Terry Diamond Ferlita, grandson Jake Ferlita, and Rob’s wife, Janelle Gordon Ferlita, and grand-daughters Eva and Sydney and grandson Julian. He will also be missed by Lou Ann Toombs Ruppel, Tom Toombs and their families; the Tuten Hunt Club members; ZooTampa (aka Lowry Park Zoo); Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful; Tampa’s Greenways and Trails; and friends within “The Egyptians”, “Sunday Night Live” and “Z-Group”.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to: ZooTampa (aka Lowry Park Zoo), earmarked for the Ross Ferlita Horticulture Fund (www.zootampa.org), Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (www.ktbb.org); Troop 4 BSA; or the charity of your choice.