Ferd Jacob Zurcher

Ferd Jacob Zurcher was born in Silverton, Oregon in the physician’s home that was the first “Silverton Hospital.” He came home with parents Alma and Ferdinand to join older brother Johnny and was later joined by a younger brother, Byron. Switzerdeutsch was the dialect spoken at home (Swiss German). When Ferd was 6 years old, his father went out to chop wood and was putting a chain on the wheels of the wagon when he was stricken and died. Ferd’s mother was left alone to care for the three boys aged 9, 6 and 6 months old. Ferd grew up very poor but loved to roam the country side around the Central Howell and Pratum area which was the foundation of his later love for hiking, mountain climbing and cross country skiing. The family made ends meet by picking hops and other crops in the fields around Silverton. Ferd’s mother moved the family to Salem when Ferd was in Junior High School. After graduating from high school in Salem he went to Cal Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, where he took cabinet making and machining classes. He traveled to Los Angeles where two of his Uncles lived. He was drafted and inducted into the Army while he was in L.A. Ferd became part of the 11th Armored Division. He served under General Patton and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He was part of a small cadre of soldiers who liberated Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria. Serving in WWII was a pivotal and life changing event in Ferd’s life and he was forever proud of his service. Ferd’s brother Johnny died in 1942 in an airplane accident while serving in the Army Air Corps during WWII. Brother Byron served in the Army during the Korean War. Coming home from the war back to Salem, Ferd began working as a cabinet maker and carpenter for the Salem School District. Ferd was proud that he always had a job, and never stopped working till his retirement. Ferd met Wilma Dunn at Salem First Baptist Church in 1949 and they married August 8th, 1952. They moved into their first tiny home after their honeymoon. Son Jonathan was born in 1955, followed by Sherri in 1958, and Timothy in 1960. Ferd was a charter member of the Salem Heights First Baptist Church and helped in the construction of their first church building. Salem Heights was an American Sunday School Union church plant. Shortly after Tim was born in 1960, Ferd got a job with the Hood River Public Schools, in charge of custodial services and transportation. The family settled on a small farm in Hood River. The family flourished on the farm and Ferd got all the kids starting on hiking and nurtured their love of the mountains and outdoors while living there. In 1967 Ferd took a job at Portland Public Schools where he worked till his retirement in 1985. The family became members of Gateway Baptist Church at that time and Ferd continued as a member until his death. Ferd was active with all aspects of the church, including serving as a Deacon, serving on the Missions Commission, and with the Awana Youth Program over the years. Ferd took many a church member, youth and adult, on their first backpacking, hiking or cross-country ski trip. In later years when Ferd discovered that a NW Chapter of the 11th Armored Division existed, he became an active participant and served as President for a time. He was also active in the National Association of the 11th Armored Division where he served as Chaplain for two years and attended meetings in New York and Ohio. Ferd and Wilma were married until her death in 1998, happily raising their family and enjoying their 5 grandchildren, Kristin, Aaron, Stefanie, Jonathan and Christopher and later great grandson Austin. After Wilma’s death, Ferd took a memorable trip to Germany and Austria with his best friend Hans Winofsky in September of 1999. They visited many of the sites of Ferd’s service in the war. Ferd started getting to know Mary Kistner at Gateway Church in 1999 after they both met up at the newspaper recycling dumpster behind the church! They became better acquainted while sharing their love of the outdoors on their hikes and many church activities and outings together. They married on December 15, 2000 and were happily married until Ferd’s death. Ferd and Mary both felt blessed to be able to share their latter years together. Their shared faith in Jesus was so important to them and their family. Ferd and Mary went on their first cruise together to Alaska in 2002, along with Ferd’s best friend Hans Winofsky and his wife Shirley, and other friends from Gateway. Ferd and Mary enjoyed hiking and spending time with family and friends during their almost fifteen years together. Ferd died at home surrounded by his family. He was loved by his wife, children, grandchildren, and many friends and was cheerful and positive right up to the end. He was an inspiration to all who knew him.