Obituary of Charles Ferdun

CHARLES FRANCIS FERDUN: Age 83 of Lodi, passed away in a local hospital on Thursday, October 7th. Charles was born in Lodi, CA on September 26, 1921. He attended local schools and graduated from Lodi Union High School in 1938. During his school years, he played tennis and baseball. He was drafted in the US Army during WWII and served for over two years in the Philippine Islands. Upon his return home, he purchased a surplus tractor and scrapper from the army and had it shipped to the USA from the Philippines. With his surplus army equipment, he started the land leveling business and also farmed in the Terminous and Lodi areas and did work for neighboring farms. He and friend Bob Woods started a partnership of Ferdun and Woods Land Leveling Co. and worked for forty-six years, retiring in 1986. They also had Case Tractor Dealership until 1981 in Lodi, serving the San Joaquin Valley. Charles was married to Marie Ellen Baker on October 22, 1948. He loved baseball and coached several generations of little league teams and enjoyed being a pilot and flying planes. Music was a part of his life, especially the Big Bands, including Louis Armstrong and singer, Nat King Cole. Other hobbies were gardening, hunting and fishing. A member of the Lodi Rotary Club and a volunteer of Lodi Boosters of Boys Sports. Survived by his son, Jerry Ferdun of Lodi; daughter, Shari Arbios of Lodi; brother, Clarence Ferdun of Honolulu, Hawaii; 2 grandsons Preceded in death by his wife, Marie Ellen Ferdun on January 31, 2000; brothers, Richmond Ferdun and Stanley Ferdon; sister, Gladys Brook. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 13th at 1 p.m. at Lodi Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Lodi Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will begin on Monday from 5-8 p.m., Tuesday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wed. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the San Joaquin Historical Society and Museum, P. O. Box 30, Lodi, CA 95241.