Obituary of John Wesley O'Ferrell

John Wesley O'Ferrell, age 78 was born on July 7, 1938 in Greensboro, N.C. He passed away on July 5, 2017 in the care of Hope Hospice in Lehigh. After graduation John attended The University of North Carolina. He returned home and enlisted in the Army where he served from 1960-1966. John went to work for Western Electric and then Duke Power. He was a member of Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church and the McLeansville Lions Club. His love of sports and kids began while in North Carolina where he was a football referee for high school and then college. John and his family moved to LaBelle in 1973 to join the family bee business, J.L. O'Ferrell & Sons. John left the bee business in 1991 and went to work at LaBelle High School as the facilities manager. John spent nearly 40 years as a member of the Quarterback Club, many of them as president. He retired in 2015 after 24 years of service. In his spare time, John loved hunting in Alabama and Georgia and making walking sticks. John was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Irma (Ray) O'Ferrell and his brother, Tommy O'Ferrell. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Marie (Lowdermilk) O'Ferrell; sons, Wesley (Wendy) O'Ferrell of LaBelle and Ricky (Jenna) O'Ferrell of Winter Haven; brothers, Lawrence (Peggy) O'Ferrell of LaBelle and Ray (Beth) O'Ferrell of Salisbury, North Carolina; and 6 grandchildren who were the light of his life. Services will be held on Monday, July 17, 2017 at Carlson Memorial United Methodist Church in LaBelle. Visitation will be from 5:00pm – 6:00pm with a memorial service at 6:00pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to LaBelle High School Quarterback Club and Hope Hospice. Cremation arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - LaBelle.