William Michael Ferris

William Michael Ferris, or Bill, Billy, Hon, Daddy, and Pop, as he was known by his loved ones, departed this earthly world unexpectedly on December 27, 2024. Born on May 1, 1948, to Franklyn and Betty Ferris, he was raised on a steady diet of the TV shows “Men of Annapolis” and “Perry Mason.” This, coupled with a fierce sense of independence, led him to cultivate two goals: one, to attend the United States Naval Academy, and two, to become a lawyer. He would go on to achieve both. Graduating with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1970, he was a proud Navy man for the rest of his life and enjoyed reminiscing about his time at the Academy and the mischief he caused with his Academy buddies. His active-duty career included deployments to the Mediterranean and an assignment to his beloved Naval Academy as a professor of mathematics. His aptitude for teaching complex math concepts to Naval Academy midshipmen did not later translate to teaching his math deficient children, as many a kitchen table tutoring session ended in tears, much to his exasperation and befuddlement. His second stint at the Naval Academy convinced him that Annapolis was his home, and he retired from active duty and put down permanent roots in the area. He joined the Naval reserves, ultimately retiring in 1991 as a Commander in the Supply Corps. His love for our country and our military was a lifelong constant. He always supported our nation’s veterans with his consistent donations towards the Wounded Warriors and belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion.

He achieved his second boyhood goal of becoming a lawyer after graduating from the University of Baltimore. He later continued his legal studies at the University of Baltimore by earning an L.L.M. in Taxation. What followed was a long and successful legal career, mostly in private practice based out of downtown Annapolis, and focusing on military law, family law, taxation, and appellate law. He worked tirelessly to defend each and every client. In addition to his private practice, he was deeply involved in the local legal community by contributing his skills to a number of legal organizations, including, but not limited to holding the following roles: Former Member and Past President of the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners, Former Hearing Examiner, Anne Arundel County, Board of Education, Former Deputy Zoning Hearing Examiner, Anne Arundel County, Former Adjunct Professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, Former Member, Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities, Former Article Supervisor, Family Law Article, and other articles, Annotated Code of Maryland, and Principal Author, Maryland Style Manual for Statutory Law (1985)

On March 21, 1987, he married Kathy, the love of his life. His loyalty to her was boundless. He told her daily how much he loved her and gave flowers on the 21st day of every single month for 38 years as a symbol of his devotion. Together, they loved to travel, gather with their friends, go dancing, and, of course, play golf at some of the most desirable golf courses in the world. They happily settled in the community of Cove Creek on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He immediately embraced the community by becoming involved with different POA committees as well as serving as a board member.

Bill was a devoted family man and enjoyed many gatherings with their three children Christina, Michael, and Megan and his seven grandchildren. He supported his children’s passions and careers. He would discuss cases and law with Christina, who followed her father’s footsteps into the law, was an ardent Loyola women’s lacrosse supporter for Megan, and attended every single high school golf match for Michael. He frequented his grandchildren’s games and school events, and he became known as the Donut Man as he would venture out early in the morning to buy donuts for the kids before they woke up.

He enjoyed a lifelong passion for golf which began as a boy when he would strap his clubs to his back and ride his bike to his local course. It was a game that gave him endless frustration and joy. Despite being a formidable player, he was the toughest critic of his own game. But he truly loved everything about the game. He had an amazing ability to recall the slope rating of every single golf course he ever played, including what iron he hit into a particular green. Not only did he love the game but he loved how it gave him the opportunity to be with his friends and family. Golf was a consistent presence in his life and included yearly golf trips with his buddies, tournaments at his home course on Cove Creek in Stevensville, trips to PGA tournaments, and matches with his son Michael.

Born a Detroit Lions and Tigers fan, he later became an ardent supporter of the Baltimore

Ravens, becoming a season ticket holder the first year of the franchise and eventually seeing them win Super XXXV in person. He just loved sports. ESPN was a constant background hum in the household. We used to joke that he could easily be back-up for the show, Mike & Mike, if one of the hosts ever needed time-off.

He was a lifelong animal lover, a trait he shared with his mother, and had a number of pets throughout his life, the most notable of which was his orange tabby Arnold Palmer, his shih tzu Bella, and the most recent addition, his Bernedoodle, Finn. Bella and Finn both enjoyed his homemade meals of steak and rice, walks to his neighborhood beach, and frequent naps on the couch with him.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Carol, and brother Robert. He is survived by his loving wife Kathleen, brothers John and Frank, children Christina Lattimore (Anderson), Michael

Santacroce, and Megan Santacroce Foulk (Dave), and grandchildren Emalee Santacroce,

Amelia, Penelope and Beatrice Vito, Josephine Foulk, and Amaya and Anderson “Mateo” Lattimore.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel on Friday, February 21, 2025 from 10:30am - 11am. A Reception will be held following the Celebration of Life at 11:00am at the U.S.N.A. Officer's Club.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill’s name to the Wounded Warriors Project.