Obituary of Thomas Ray Ferrell

Mr. Thomas Ray Ferrell was born September 15, 1945 to the union of Mr. Waymond and Mrs. Blanche Lee Lambert Ferrell. He grew up in the Bearden and Holly Springs community. He was taught by his parents and grandparents the ethics of responsibility, hard work, being a gentleman, as well as how to maintain a home, garden, cook, entertain and provide. Thomas Ray developed the gifts storytelling and humor of capturing those special moments in life. He joined the White Springs AME Church at an early age, attending regularly with his father, grandfather Mr. Lee Lambert and his family. He enrolled in grammar school at the Ouachita County Training School, Bearden, AR, which encompassed grades first through 12. In early 1952, the family relocated to California. There, he attended Green Oaks Junior High School and later Ravenswood High School both in Palo Alto, CA. A hard, dedicated worker, Mr. Ferrell began working at Stanford University Research Center, Information Management and the Sanitary District of Palo Alto and Berkley California and retired from Apple Inc. He also worked at Bear Brand Roofing Inc. while living in Arkansas for a short time. Along with his siblings, he assisted his mother with operating two boarding care facilities, Ferrell's Home I and Ferrell Home II for over 35 years. In addition to helping with day to day operations, he accompanied his mother for workshops, conferences and other trainings. He met and married Ms. Evaughn Lewis and was blessed with the opportunity to love her three children as his own. They lived and raised their family in the Palo Alto and San Jose.areas before retiring and relocating to Yuba City, CA. He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church, in San Jose, CA and later joined the New Testament Baptist Church in Sacramento, CA area. He and his wife would also worship with First Baptist Church of Yuba City, CA. He loved his family and looked forward to every reunion, celebration, holiday or any special event to spend time with his loved ones. He especially enjoyed returning to Arkansas to visit family, friends and support the Lambert Community Reunion, created by his grandfather, the late Mr. Lee Lambert and other leaders to support the White Springs AME Cemetery and to attend the Annual Granny Gathering, commemorating the legacy and birthdays of his grandmother the late Mrs. Ivory Ross Lambert, who lived to be 113 years old. His passions included cooking, carpentry, traveling, gardening, and floral arranging as well as working on cars, especially antique cars. He enjoyed studying the Bible and sharing the word with anyone who called and stopped by to have a conversation with him. He and his wife studied the Bible together every evening. Thomas Ray was very outgoing, and never met a stranger. A phone call or stop to say hello, would turn into several moments of laughter and you always felt better after sharing time with him. Fashionable, he always dressed distinctively from head to toe. He was preceded in death by his parents Mr. Waymond Ferrell Sr. and Mrs. Blanche Lee Lambert Ferrell; six siblings Mrs. Norma Ruth Ferrell Juniel, Mr. James Ferrell, Mr. Billy Mack Ferrell, Ms. Margaret Ferrell, Mr. Lee Carlton Ferrell and Mr. Michael Wayne Ferrell. He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Mrs. Evaughn Ferrell; three children Ms. Rosalyn Ann Prater, Ms. Renita Rene Horton, and Mr. Basil (Grizelda) Horton; nine grandchildren, Basil III (Stephanie) Horton; Shavonne, Diamante, Dahlia, Dagon,Christopher, Ajena, Vonesha and Von; three siblings, Mr. Waymond (Rochelle) Ferrell, Mrs. Ann (Derek) Ferrell Zabaldo both of Palo Alto, CA; and Mrs. Valerie (Carl) Ferrell Hartley of Bearden, AR; one sister in-law Mrs. Virgie Mae Ferrell of Bearden, AR; one aunt Mrs. Lucille Lambert of Rockford, Ill and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.