Bill Text: NY J03278 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Senate Resolution 3278 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Mourning the death of former New York State Assemblyman Joseph Ferris, dedicated public servant and devoted member of his community

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-07-22 - ADOPTED [J03278 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-J03278-Introduced.html


Senate Resolution No. 3278

BY: Senator PARKER

        MOURNING  the  death  of  former  New  York  State
        Assemblyman Joseph Ferris, dedicated public  servant
        and devoted member of his community

  WHEREAS,  There are certain outstanding public servants who, through
their selfless commitment and dedication, served to better  the  quality
of  life  in their community and had a measurable positive impact on the
lives of its residents; Joseph Ferris was one such individual; and

  WHEREAS,  Former  New  York  State  Assemblyman  Joseph  Ferris   of
Brooklyn,  New  York, died on Saturday, June 20, 2020, at the age of 85,
due to complications related to the coronavirus; and

  WHEREAS, A lifelong Brooklynite, Joseph Ferris was born  on  October
10,  1934,  and  was the oldest of Catherine Downes' and William Ferris'
five children; and

  WHEREAS, Joseph Ferris graduated from St. Francis College, Class  of
1956, with a bachelor's degree in history; and

  WHEREAS,  He then served in the United States Army Reserve and spent
15 years teaching in New York City schools, including several years as a
teacher at Rikers Island prison; and

  WHEREAS, Joseph Ferris first became  interested  in  local  politics
while working with Against Investment Discrimination, a group who fought
redlining policies in the City; and

  WHEREAS,  The  block  associations  and civic groups he helped found
include the Kensington Community Council; the Park Slope Civic  Council;
the   Central  Brooklyn  Independent  Democrats,  originally  the  Slope
Independent Democrats, and the Brooklyn Irish-American  Day  Parade;  as
well  as  the  Magnolia  Tree Institute, a Bedford-Stuyvesant non-profit
that is responsible  for  planting  hundreds  of  trees  throughout  the
borough; and

  WHEREAS,  Joseph  Ferris'  first  campaign for elected office was in
1964 when he ran for Congress;  five  years  later,  he  served  as  the
Campaign  Manager  on  Norman  Mailer's  mayoral  campaign, where he was
referred to as a "one-man think tank"; and

  WHEREAS, In 1970 and 1972, Joseph Ferris lost extremely close  races
to  represent  the  51st  District  in  the  New  York  State  Assembly;
victorious in 1974, he served five terms before retiring in 1984; and

  WHEREAS, While in the Assembly, Joseph Ferris served as Chairman  of
the  Legislative  Commission  on  Science and Technology, as well as the
Chair of the Assembly Subcommittee on Public Power; and

  WHEREAS, In the summer of 1984, Joseph Ferris married  Joan  Ferris,
and together they were the proud parents of two sons, Joseph and Thomas;
and

  WHEREAS,  A proud and devoted father, Joseph Ferris passed on to his
sons a love for civics, history, New York City and public service; and

  WHEREAS,  After  retiring  from elected office, Joseph Ferris stayed
active in Brooklyn working as a substitute teacher, penning  a  Brooklyn
Paper   column,  and  continuing  to  advocate  for  causes  around  the
neighborhood and city including the implementation  of  term  limits  on
City  Council  members  and the preservation of what is now known as the
Old Stone House in Washington Park; and

  WHEREAS, Joseph Ferris worked to stabilize  the  then-underused  Old
Stone  House  in Park Slope, which played a pivotal role in the American
Revolution, and turn it into an official historic house and museum; and

  WHEREAS, By the early 2000s,  Joseph  Ferris  was  an  active  board
member  at  the Old Stone House and was involved with the Irish American
Parade Committee's efforts to memorialize the Battle of  Brooklyn  on  a
broader scale; and

  WHEREAS,  Predeceased  by  his parents, Catherine Downes and William
Ferris, his brother, John Ferris  and  his  wife,  Joan  Ferris,  Joseph
Ferris  is survived by his two sons, Joseph M. Ferris and Thomas Ferris;
daughter-in-law, Eugenia Ferris; one granddaughter, Sophia  Ferris;  his
brother, William Ferris; and his two sisters, Eileen Ferris and Mary Lou
Amaro; and

  WHEREAS,  Every  citizen  in  New  York  State  has  most  certainly
benefited, in one way or another, from the deep dedication, intelligence
and commitment Joseph Ferris brought to his work as a mentor, legislator
and public policy-maker; a loyal friend and trusted advisor, he will  be
deeply  missed and truly merits the grateful tribute of this Legislative
Body; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
mourn  the death of former New York State Assemblyman Joseph Ferris, and
to express its deepest condolences to his family; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to the family of Joseph Ferris.