James Joseph Ferri, 82 years, passed away peacefully at his adopted home, The Haven Assisted Living in Hurricane, Utah on February 16, 2025. Jimmy was born on August 19, 1942, in Oakland, California to Howard and Flora Ferri. He is survived by his sister, Dina MacDonald and brother Bill Ferri and Bill's children, Paul, Melanie, Bruce, and their sister Laura, who preceded Jimmy in death.

Jim jotted down in 2019 parts of his obituary in his own unique manner, and much of the following comes directly from him: "James Ferri returned to his Heavenly Father on 2-16-2025. He had wonderful cousins: Joan Hamiel, Bob and Mike Wilkowski, Steve Ross, and also Don and Linda Ross who preceded him in death. His aunts and uncles were very close and supported him in his culinary career. He started his hotel and restaurant profession in his family's small restaurant in Oakland, California. He did his apprenticeship in Paris, France at the Cordon Bleu where he shared a class with Julia Child! He also attended the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. He was the first person to receive the Holiday Magazine award for the Roof Restaurant at the Hotel, Utah in Salt Lake City.

After twenty years in the restaurant business, he taught in the Culinary Arts Program in Richfield and at Snow College in Ogden for twenty more years. He took off for two years to live on the tall sailing ship, "Te Vega", cooking and teaching high potential dyslexic students. He loved adventure and cooking and worked on an oil platform in Alaska on the Cook Inlet, and he also enjoyed the warmth of Hawaii.

He returned to Sky Mountain in Hurricane where he bought a lovely home. He really liked the Mexican workers who did his yard work, his Southern Baptist Bible family, and his Sky friends.  Jim was able to travel after he retired and chose to live with families rather than staying at hotels. So off he went to Costa Rica, Mexico, France, and Canada to connect with many different people and their cultures.

Jim had a deep appreciation for others and for living life to its fullest. During his last six years at The Haven, he loved to be of service, and he appreciated the service of others, too. He loved his adopted family, his friends, and especially Tom and Gaylene Lange who stayed with him at the end.

Just hours before he died, Jim was heard to call out, "What are you waiting for?" When asked who he was talking to, he replied, "God!" He was really ready to go home to his Heavenly Father.