Joseph "Mike" Earl Ferrari

October 21, 1946- November 17, 2023

Joseph, better known as Mike to his friends and family, was born in San Diego. His parent’s, Joe and Birdie Ferrari, were owners of the Model Dairy in Mission Valley where Mike and his beloved sister, Julia, enjoyed roaming the fields and hills together long before it became part of a bustling community.

He grew up and attended school in San Diego until eventually moving to Calexico for his senior year. He graduated from high school in 1965. He then went to Imperial Valley College where he met his future wife, Connie. Mike and Connie married in April of 1969 before he had to leave for Vietnam. Mike was a sniper in the 82nd Airborne Unit.

After serving in the Army, he returned to Calexico and worked at Allied Cattle Feeders. In 1977, Mike and Connie moved to Pine Valley to begin having their own little family. At this time, Mike also started a nursery business in Blossom Valley called Ferrari’s Greenhouses.

In the late 1990’s, Mike and Connie purchased property in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. Spending summers there was what Mike looked forward to, especially to see his buddies, both of whom lived there and those who would come out to see him, as well as to see the varied wildlife there.

Besides spending time up in South Dakota, Mike also enjoyed many other activities. Amongst these activities include hunting, welding animals, plants, and people out of horseshoes and other metals, making picture frames out of the pine from the Black Hills, bartending his famous margaritas, being the BBQ boss of his tri tips plus the deep pit master for Pine Valley Days and nursery Christmas parties, and being the absolute best joke teller where the sun sets in the West.

Mike was also always there for others when they needed help. He would help stranded motorists, young and old alike. He was also willing and ready to teach anybody who wanted to learn the ways of welding, cooking, or hunting.

He spent many years with conservation groups such as Safari Club International and the Turkey Federation and clubs like the Mountain Empire Men’s Club where he could help out both the wildlife and his community. He even volunteered his time to go to the desert to build drinkers for the wild animals.

In 2003, Mike was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. It was a shock for an outdoorsman who eventually had to give up his hunting, welding, and ultimately his joke telling as he lost his voice control.

Mike is survived by his wife of 54 years, his older daughter, Michelle, his younger daughter, Victoria, and her husband, Jesse Perez, and his 4 grandchildren, Rebecca, Lily, Olivia and Hunter.

He will be greatly missed.