Mr. David Ross Ferry

Born September 9, 1950, Denver Colorado

Died May 28, 2023, Loma Linda, California

David was born in Denver, Colorado and adopted at birth by Charles and Bea (Wiley) Ferry of Englewood, Colorado. The Ferry family moved to Santa Ana, California in 1953 where David attended Orangewood Academy, Garden Grove, CA from 1st grade through 5th grade. His father, Charles, died in a private plane crash in Orange County when David was 9 years old. Shortly afterwards, David, his mother and his Grandma Jo moved back to Campion Academy, Loveland, Colorado from grade 6 until his sophomore year in high school. Tired of snow, he then returned to Orangewood Academy for his junior and senior years, 1966-68.

After graduating with a physics degree from La Sierra College, La Sierra, CA in 1972, David finished his medical doctor degree at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in May 1976. He married Linda Hyder in June 1976 just before she started medical school and he started his Internal Medicine residency training and 6 months of a cardiology fellowship at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Then in 1979, they moved to Texas where David worked in a Public Health Service rural primary care clinic (scholarship recipient) for 2 years in Crystal Beach, Texas. Linda completed her family medicine residency and David joined the Cardiology Fellowship training at the University of Texas, Health Science Center, San Antonio (1982-1984). He was recruited back to California in 1984 to join the Cardiology Section at the Loma Linda VA Medical Center where he remained all of his career and retired as Chief of Cardiology in 2012. He authored a book on learning to interpret electrocardiograms that was used widely in medical schools, (“ECGs in 10 Days”). His academic teaching pursuits led him to being selected as a national cardiology lecturer for the Med Study review courses for Internal Medicine Specialists.

David and Linda’s avid birding interests led them to design the record-setting hummingbird banding project in 1985 in Southeastern Arizona that was continued for a full 10-year study by The Nature Conservancy. They captured and banded 5,000 hummingbirds to document the numbers of rare species that nested only in the surrounding mountain ranges to the east of Tucson.

Throughout David’s life, he was a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and loved the Creator God with whom he trusted for the gift of eternal life. He was a volunteer member of the Board of Directors for Air 1 Radio/KLOVE Christian radio station, Educational Media Foundation for 20 years, since KLOVE started in Yucaipa, CA in the mid 1980s. David’s retirement years were deeply enriched by finding his birth parents and being accepted into their extended families over the last 13 years.

David’s retirement was filled with hobbies of woodworking, bird and nature photography, recording bird calls, and guiding birding vacations professionally. He traveled widely during his 12 years of retirement to tropical climates in Central & South America, Africa, Australia and the colder Arctic and sub-Antarctic regions in search of the best wildlife photographs. His photo collection is displayed online at iStock website (“drferry” in search bar).

He mastered wood turning skills and posted over 18 videos known by his “Anduril Designs” on YouTube of making exotic wood candlesticks and segmented bowls, including a feature video on the LLUSM Alumni website. (https://llusmaa.org; open “Videos” tab, advance to panel #6 “David Ferry --The Candlestick Maker”; or go directly to : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoSQz2rFluo).

David died at age 72 years from an untreatable infection & abcess of his spine and widespread metastatic prostate cancer at Loma Linda University Medical Center on May 28, 2023.

In lieu of flowers (there is no graveside service to take to a cemetery afterwards), please make donations to World Vision to sponsor Armenian Children who need community support to get an education. When David discovered his ancestry was Armenian on his father’s side, he sponsored a boy’s education in Armenia. He wanted to make life easier for children in Armenia. Please honor his desire and call World Vision Phone: 888-511-6548. Ask for the fund by name “David R. Ferry gifts to Armenian children, World Vision”.

David’s memorial service and a buffet dinner will be hosted at Calimesa Seventh-Day Adventist Church on September 9, 2023 at 5 pm (391 Myrtlewood Dr., Calimesa, CA 92320). An online Livestream will be available for those unable to be present and will be archived to view later at www.calimesasda.com

David’s cremains will be interred at Happy Valley Memorial Cemetery in Elizabethton, Tennessee on October 9, 2023 with Linda’s paternal Hyder family of 4 generations.

Survived by his wife, Linda Hyder Ferry; Mother, Carla Lee Lordan; Sisters, Cathy Bates Brandt, Julie Bates Oppen, Lisa Phillian; Brother, Tim Phillian, Brother-in-Law, John Oppen; Nephews and wives: Burton & Donna Brandt, Alex & Lexi Brandt, Travis & Elyse Brandt, Nicholas Oppen; Grandnieces, Brooklyn, Bailee, Emery and Rowan Brandt; Grandnephews, Burton, Nixon and Leo Brandt; Adopted Cousins, Dana Wiley Samalin and Denny & Shell Wiley; Step-sisters, Sharon Wills Kearney and Ken & Nan Wills Loomer

Submitted by David’s wife

Linda Hyder Ferry, MD, MPH

(909) 363-6545

lhferry@aol.com