John Ferraris, 79, World War II Navy veteran, Electrolux designer

John T. Ferraris of 36 Tally Ho Road, a World War II combat veteran and a retired designer who held many patents for his devices, died on Saturday, Feb. 1, at Danbury Hospital. He was 79 years old and husband of Nellie Figliola Ferraris.
A native of Stamford, Mr. Ferraris was born on March 4, 1923, a son of Carlo and Lucrezia Robotti Ferraris. He attended Stamford schools and graduated from J.M. Wright Vocational-Technical School in Stamford.
At the age of 18, Mr. Ferraris joined the U.S. Navy, serving during World War II. His final assignment was aboard the U.S.S. Stafford, a destroyer escort, in the Pacific Theater.
On Jan. 5, 1945, during a sea battle, his ship was struck and nearly sunk by a Japanese kamikaze. The Stafford managed to steam to San Pedro Bay, Leyte, where months of repairs began. On Sept. 15, only five weeks after a third of the city was destroyed by an atomic bomb, the Stafford sailed into Nagasaki Harbor and picked up recently freed American prisoners of war.
Mr. Ferraris had a 48-year career with the Electrolux Corporation of Old Greenwich, where he had been chief draftsman in the engineering department. He held many patents on parts he designed for vacuum cleaners, floor polishers and other machines made by the company.
He retired in 1987 when the company moved to Virginia, and he moved the same year to Ridgefield, after having lived in Stamford all of his life.
Here, Mr. Ferraris became active in the American Legion, Italian American Club and at St. Mary’s. For many years he worked at St. Mary’s annual Fall Festival in September, preparing the food for and operating the fair’s sausage and pepper grinder stand.
He had also regularly participated in reunions of the crew of the Stafford, and some years ago sponsored a gathering of the veterans at Mystic Seaport.
A skilled craftsman, Mr. Ferraris frequently helped family and friends with projects, from building houses and additions, to papering walls. “He always had a project going on,” said his daughter, Lucretia Pannozzo of Ridgefield. “He was very closely connected to his family and always helping out.”
Mr. Ferraris had also been a golfer who had played often at Dlhy Ridge. “That was his biggest passion,” his daughter said.
In Stamford, Mr. Ferraris was a member of the Knights of Columbus and had belonged to St. Clement’s Church.
Besides his wife of 57 years, Mr. Ferraris is survived by a son, John P. Ferraris and his wife Lin of Coppell, Texas; two daughters, Lucretia Pannozzo and her husband Vincent of Ridgefield and Phyllis Ferraris of Washington state; and three grandchildren, Vincent John Pannozzo, Ian P. Ferraris and Alexandra Ferraris.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday in St. Mary’s Church.
Entombment will take in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Greenwich.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Visiting Nurse Association of Ridgefield, 90 East Ridge, or to the Ridgefield Fire Department Ambulance Fund, 6 Catoonah Street, both Ridgefield 06877.
The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.