Marion Duane Ferris

84, passed away peacefully on December 8, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. Born August 12, 1933 in Vona, Colorado. Duane is survived by his loving family; his wife, Maria Delores Ferris, son Joseph (Jodi) Ferris, daughter Deborah Ann (Jon) Wines, son James Michael (Heather) Ferris, grandson Derek Ferris, granddaughter Meagan Ferris. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alvin and Florence Ferris, and his sister Shirley Ferris.

Sergeant Major Ferris entered active duty military service as a draftee in the early 1950’s from Denver Colorado. Upon honorably serving his commitment, he returned to Colorado and enrolled in the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado (Boulder Campus) in the pursuit of a pharmaceutical degree. It was always his passion to work in the medical field. Even as a young teenager working at the drug store in Stratton Colorado, he would help the pharmacist with the patrons of the store. During his tenure at CU, the urge to serve his country compelled him to re-enlist in the United States Army as a hospital medic. By the mid-1950’s he was again serving on active duty. Upon completing basic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas as a medic, he was assigned to an Army Hospital in Germany. During this tour he met his English bride-to-be on the Rhine River, Maria Dolores Concetta Cockram. Through love letters and visits to England, he ultimately proposed and wed Ms. Cockram on January 12th, 1957 in Saint Edmonds Church, Edmonton, England. After their first tour together at Fort Sam Houston (San Antonio), Texas they returned to Germany. There, their first-born son entered the world in Bad Constadt (near Stuttgart), Germany in the fall of 1960. Their only daughter followed three years later and was born in Edgemont, South Dakota. Soon after being assigned to Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center for the first time in 1965, Sergeant Major Ferris deployed to Qui Nhon in the An Khe Province of South Vietnam. During this deployment in support of the 1st Air Calvary Division (Air Mobile) he was assigned to the 2nd Field Surgical Hospital (Camp Radcliff) as the unit’s First Sergeant at the grade of Sergeant First Class. During his tour Qui Nhon, he survived two major attacks on the hospital and was commended as one of the key personnel in the unit during this time frame. This included at least one instance in which the hospital operated significantly above capacity due to an Army Artillery unit being overrun creating a mass casualty evacuation to his field hospital. These were some of Duane’s darkest days when caring for wounded American Soldiers in South East Asia. Upon redeploying from Vietnam in late 1967, his family again returned to Germany, this time being assigned to the Army Hospital in Augsburg, supporting the 1st Infantry Division. During this three-year tour, Maria and Duane developed many of their long-lasting friendships which would carry through their retirement. This included the development of German friendships through their German Army sister battalion along with many beer festivals. In 1970, Sergeant Major Ferris was assigned to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston Texas (San Antonio), where he was promoted to Master Sergeant and assigned as the Chief Ward Master of the entire Medical Center. In addition to this, his third born child James came into world at Fort Sam rounding out the family. Although Joe, played some T-Ball in Germany, it was here in Texas where the love of sports and watching his children participate in sports first began to blossom. From the cheerleading that his daughter Deborah participated in, to the many football games, basketball games, wrestling, track, and baseball games that he attended for both Joe and Jim it was evident that when not serving his country, his passion was supporting his children in each-and-every endeavor. We can’t think of a time when he was not at our venues along with our mother cheering us on. When mom and dad were not entertaining, or chauffeuring us around, Dad found solace in maintaining a meticulous yard and a love for gardening. In this vein, there were more Saturday mornings than we can count where we were expected to help-out in the yard and not inside watching cartoons. This is only a snapshot but looking back on this now, the discipline and character he built into the three of us has propelled us to whom we are today. In 1974, we moved from San Antonio, Texas to Denver Colorado where Duane was promoted to Sergeant Major and named the Chief Ward Master for Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado. In the military occupational specialty of “Hospital Medic”, Duane was the very first medic to attain the rank of Sergeant Major (E-9) in the history of the United States Army (an accolade no one can ever take away from him). Maria and Duane settled in north Thornton, Colorado splitting the distance between his office at Fitzsimmons and Boulder where we had a special relationship with his mother and father. Sergeant Major Ferris retired from active duty military service on January 31st, 1982. He then began a second career with the United States Postal Service where he delivered mail for nearly 14 years before hanging up the spurs for good. In his twilight and as he moved into full retirement, besides his love for his yard and gardening he also took advantage of his newly found time and spent many a road trip exploring the United States and visiting old friends and family. Along with his wife, Sergeant Major Ferris was a generous man giving up their time to volunteer at the Denver Rescue Mission as well as giving to charities which included Denver Rescue Mission, Food Bank of the Rockies, and the Wounded Warrior Program to name a few.

A special gathering will be held to celebrate Duane's life on Thursday, December 14, 2017, 1pm at Mountain View Cemetery, 3016 Kalmia Ave., Boulder, CO 80301. Full military honors will be rendered by the United States Army. Following committal service, family and friends will gather to share memories at Crist Mortuary, 3395 Penrose Place, Boulder, CO 80301.

Arrangements under the direction of Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary, Cemetery & Arboretum, Wheat Ridge, CO.