James Louis Ferens, age 69, passed into the loving arms of Jesus on Thursday, December 29, 2022 on Marrowstone Island, Washington. James is survived by his loving and devoted wife, LaDonne, his son Brandon (Cory) Ferens of Marrowstone Island, and his daughter Tilly (Nate) Ritter of San Diego, CA; seven adored grandchildren: Zachary, Zoey, Ally, Austin, Kaison, Asher, and Everly; and brothers John, Rob, and Rick Ferens.
Born on July 7, 1953 in Manhattan, New York, James spent his early childhood in Stratford, Connecticut before moving with his family to Kirkland, Washington when he was 11 years old. After graduating high school, he attended Judson Baptist College near Portland, Oregon.
On November 6, 1976, James and LaDonne were married at Westminster Chapel in Bellevue, WA. They celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary this past November. They raised their family in the Pacific Northwest and Montana as James pursued his career as a professional truck driver. He drove over 4.3 million accident-free miles in the course of his 43 year career. Because of his patriotic love for America, he spent a year in Afghanistan in service as a civilian contractor for the US military. From 2016-2018, James and LaDonne attended Charis Bible College in Woodland Park, Colorado where they both received Associate Degrees in Biblical Studies. He ended his professional career working for the college ministry and driving their semi-truck to conferences around the US.
Building a log home in Stevensville, Montana with the help of his family was a highlight in his life. Family vacations were spent traveling across the US and exploring National Parks with an Airstream trailer in tow, as well as vacations to Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. Some of his favorite pastimes were fishing and flying kites, one of which was an F-16 fighter jet, and tinkering on projects in his garage and around the house.
James lit up every room he entered and made all who met him feel welcomed and loved. He leaves a legacy of joy, hope, and a family devoted to Christ. The sound of his laughter and his warm embraces will be deeply missed by all.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 1:30pm at Westford Funeral Home, 1301 Broadway, Bellingham, WA 98225.