The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Just before 5:30 on the evening of July 5, 2019, our beloved Joe won his race. His legs were restored and his stride was strong, his lungs were renewed and his breaths were full. The wind was at his face and the prayers of many were at his back. His room was filled with the love of family – we held him and told him just how much he's loved as he crossed the finish.

Joe grew up on his family's farm on the Peone Prairie. He graduated from Mead High School, attended Fresno Pacific, graduated from Gonzaga University and earned his Master's Degree in School Counseling at Whitworth University.

He taught junior high at St. Aloysius School and was an English, History and Newspaper teacher, a Guidance Counselor and a cross country and track coach at Gonzaga Prep from 1999 to present.

Joe ran cross country and track at Mead and Fresno Pacific, was a camp counselor and director at YMCA Camp Reed, he led Young Life, supported students in many leadership activities over the course of his career, and enjoyed being active in the Spokane running community.

In July of 2016, Joe was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He is survived by his wife Angie and their sons Adam and Colin, his mother Marie Zuger Feryn Blacklaw (John), his sister Ann Corlett (Dan), brother Remi Feryn (Josella), mother-in-law Janel Dudley, sister-in-law Megan McInerney (Charlie) and his nieces and nephews Dexter, Abbie, Allie, Ron, Jade, RaeAnn, Jaxson, Graham and Audrey. He is preceded in death by his father Ronald Feryn, his maternal and paternal grandparents, his father-in-law Terry Dudley and nephews Oscar and Jericho.

We will celebrate Joe's life on Saturday, July 27th at 10 am in the Scarpelli Gymnasium at Gonzaga Preparatory School. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Gonzaga Preparatory School 1224 E. Euclid Ave., Spokane, WA 99207; YMCA Camp Reed Campership 1126 N. Monroe St., Spokane, WA 99201; or by giving blood at any local Vitalant.