November 29, 1937 – April 13, 2024
Formally of Nyssa, Oregon
Alex “Kay” Ferrenburg passed on April 13, 2024. He was born in Nampa, Idaho at Mrs.
Browns Maternity Home. He was the beloved husband of Gloria (Carpenter)
Ferrenburg for 68 years. Eloping to Winnemucca to marry Gloria when he was 18 years
old.
He was the beloved father to four children. Melodi Sappè, Lori Jo (Kent) Holcomb, Kelly
Reb, and Sandee McDaniel. He was grandfather to Nicole Sappè Bonnell, Cody
Sappè; Trent & Anthony Holcomb; Luke, Ellen & Matt Ferrenburg, Mikel Reb & Alexis
McDaniel, and 5 great grandchildren. As well as a “little” brother to Glenna Schiedel.
Kay would say that his greatest accomplishment was being a loving husband to Gloria.
Not a day went by in which he did not give her three quick kisses in a row and tell her
that he loved her. He believed that family was number one and deeply loved his children
and grandchildren.
He went to school at Homedale High School and had lifelong friends from Homedale
schools that he loved to reminisce with.
As a teenager, he loved running wild horses in the Owyhee Mountains with his brother-
in-law Amos Halbert.
While living in Nevada, he and Gloria drag raced his 60 Corvette in Las Vegas, Reno
and St. George Utah on the weekends. He has a room full of winning trophies.
He led a life of excitement which included moves to 28 different towns. His final move
was to Eugene, Oregon where he has lived for the past 40 years. He owned a logistics
trucking transportation business and a trailer leasing company.
You could not have a conversation with Kay without him bringing up guns, knives,
trucking, engines he just built or talking about his hot rods. In his words, he loved “Go
Fast” cars. He may not have remembered your name at first, but he remembered what
car you drove or the gun you had.
Kay restored his 1947 Mercury Convertible, to show car quality, because it was like the
car in which he dated Gloria. When he was 65 years old he built a 1941 Ford Opera
Coupe that had a flip switch nitrous system, that he raced at Woodburn, Oregon drag
strip.
He exemplified pull-yourself-up-by-your bootstraps strength and tenacity throughout his
life and was known for how to repair and install everything. Jack of all trades but also a
master of all. From sheet metal, heating, plumbing, construction, horses, trucking, drag
racing, leather tooling, woodworking and incredible mechanical knowledge of car
engines.
For additional hobbies he built an entire Western Town by hand, built to scale without
using a measuring tape. He split cedar to made small shingles for all of the roofs.
Included in this town is 12 buildings.
In Eugene he made more great friends with members of the Gear Heads Car Club. He
also hosted a weekly Bible Study with those members at their home.
He was preceded in death by his parents Alex and Eunice Ferrenburg, son Kelly
Ferrenburg, and Granddaughter Jacalyn Sappè.
Kay’s Celebration of Life will be held in Nyssa, Oregon at the Senior Citizens Center on
April 27, 2024 at 11:00AM
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