Wendel Gene Ferrin, 64, of Tucson, Ariz., died Oct 11, 1991, in Tucson.Born at home in Powell Township, Comanche County, Kansas, on April 30, 1927 to Ernest Leroy and Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin, he attended Ridge Summit School and graduated from Wilmore High School in 1944.
He married Alice Lorene Norton on Dec. 22, 1949; their four children were born while they lived on their farm five miles northeast of Wilmore.
On June 1, 1966, Wendel and his family moved to Tucson for the beneficial effect of the desert climate on his asthma and Wendel began working as a carpenter. Divorced in the spring of 1976, he married Angie Villa Oct. 13, 1979, in Tucson.
He was a member of Coldwater Masonic Lodge A.F. & A.M. No. 295 and of the Tucson Carpenter's Local No. 857. He was master of Wilmore Lodge no. 412 of Wilmore in 1960 and was acting master of that lodge on Nov. 14, 1961 when his father received his 50-year emblem for Masonry from the Grand Master of Kansas.
Over the past four years, Wendel wrote his autobiography, much of which concerns life in Comanche County. A copy of this book will be placed in the archives of the Kansas State Historical Society.
He is survived by his widow, Angie, of the home; sons, Darrell, Jerry and Brent Ferrin; daughter, Janet Elmore; grandson, Dennis Fought; granddaughter, Dominique Ferrin, all of Tucson; his brother, Delmer "Buck" Ferrin of Wilmore; sister, Helen Flory of Montezuma's Camp, Ariz., and by many other relatives and friends.
Funeral service was held Tuesday, Oct. 15, 1991 by Pastor Steve Brown in the North Chapel of Tucson Mortuary. A eulogy was delivered by Wendel's son, Jerry. Interment was at Holy Hope Cemetery in Tucson with Masonic graveside services.
A few stories from Wendel Ferrin's Memoirs:
- Tornados in the Wilmore, Kansas area
A story about the tornado which hit Wilmore on May 20th, 1949, written by Wendel Ferrin and illustrated with photos by John Edward Schrock.
Surnames: Banker, Barnes, Cobb, Dellinger, Dorsey, Downing, Ferrin, Flory, Hackney, Hubbard, Klutz, McMillen, Norton, Sawley, Schrock, Thompson, Wagner, Wall, Ward, Wood & York.
- Food Storage on the Farm
How food was stored in Powell Township, Comanche County, Ks, in the 1930s and '40s, by Wendel Ferrin.
Surnames: Barnett, Ferrin, Masterson, Paine & Van Lott.
- Salt Plains
A story by Wendel Ferrin of how & where early Comanche County residents got salt for their cattle.
Surnames: Blackman & Ferrin.
- Wheat Harvest with a Thresher
Written by Wendel Ferrin; Photo by John Edward Schrock.
Surnames: Ferrin, McCormick, McMillen, Perkey, Schrock, Waters & Wright.
- Practical Jokes & Backfired Actions: A few stories from Comanche County, Kansas
"Why My Grand-Dad Quit Smoking"
"Help Yourself: The Preacher & the Watermelon Patch"
"How Dad Learned How the Dog Felt"
"Pepper for the Guests"
"Sam Lawrence and the Wounded Raccoon"
Surnames: Day, Ferrin, Lawrence, Nielsen, Smith & Trummel.
- "Shooting an anvil on the 4th of July" by Wendel Ferrin
Surnames: Ferrin & MacLane.
- Chris Nielsen Injured When Tractor Overturns
- Interview with Wendel Ferrin, 13 April 1989.
- Leo Thornberry's Watermelon Patch.
- Raccoons, Coyotes and Watermelons by Wendel Ferrin, 01 February 1990.
- Sitting with the Dead.
Also see:
- Snapshots of People in Comanche County, Kansas, from Wendel Ferrin's Collection
- Wendel Ferrin's Collection of Photos, Comanche County, Ks, circa 1944.
- Report of the Wilmore Church of Christ, August 23, 1953. This page features a group photo of the church congregation taken in 1952 which includes Wendel and Alice Ferrin and their son Darrell.
- Weldon Emil Trummel, one of Wendel Ferrin's closest friends when he farmed in Kansas. They were close neighbors, helped each other "work cattle" and also volunteered together to referee basketball games for the Wilmore Grade School.
Wendel Ferrin at about 12 years of age
Comanche County, Kansas.
Delmer Lee, Helen Aurie and Wendel Gene Ferrin
in their Wilmore High School band uniforms.
Photo taken in 1940 at the Ferrin farm, West Powell Township, Comanche County, Kansas,
by Nellie May Ferrin.
Wendel Gene Ferrin, 1944.
Wilmore High School Senior Photo, Comanche County, Kansas.
