Rev. Paul Howard Ferrin

Rev. Paul Howard Ferrin, 94, died March 7, 2023, at home with his family by his side in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was born on April 23, 1928 in Dudley Massachusetts to Howard and Marion Ferrin. His mother died when he was five and his father remarried later to Evelyn Fuller.

Paul graduated from Cranston, RI High School in 1945, Providence Bible Institute in RI in 1949 and received a Master of Divinity at Gordon Conwell Seminary in 1963. He was senior Pastor of ten churches, mostly American Baptist, including one in every New England State except Connecticut. He was also interim Pastor of several churches. He also served as college Chaplain at Worcester State College, Clark University and Worcester Polytechnical Institute. Paul shared his love for God and people in the Peace movement of the 1960’s which he continued until his later years. A pivotal part of his spiritual journey came as he visited Israel in the 1980’s, where he deepened his love for all of God’s children. 

Paul was an avid sports participant and fan. He especially enjoyed playing tennis, golf, ice hockey, and his favorite baseball-softball. He played semi pro baseball in Maine and Massachusetts, and once had the opportunity to bat in the off season against Yankee pitcher, Whitey Ford. In his later years, he played in the Worcester senior softball league, homering many times.  As a fan, he enjoyed most sports and was a NY Yankee fan growing up in Rhode Island, until he became a Boston Red Sox fan around 1967. 

Paul loved to spend time with his family. They always had supper together. Often, he would bring old friends or new friends’ home with him for supper and expect his wife, Erma, to have plenty of food for all. The family always enjoyed summer vacations together, usually at their Schutts cousins camp, at Kezar Pond in North Waterford, Maine.

Other hobbies and interests included singing, especially with his wife, writing, and family games such as Clue and Monopoly.  Paul loved to laugh and make others laugh. He also liked to converse with people wherever he went, from the person on the street to the waitress at the diner. 

Rev. Ferrin is survived by his sister, Dr. Priscilla Leavitt, 3 sons, Mark and his wife Ivy Merrill, Gordon and his wife Linda, and Paul II and wife Heidi; 2 daughters, Deb and her husband Jim, and Becky, 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, Paul was preceded in death by his wife Erma Shaw Ferrin, his brothers, David, Howard, and Richard, and sister, Betty Joyce, a foster daughter, Pearl Blood. 

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at The First Baptist Church, 111 Park Ave. Worcester, Ma, at 11am in the chapel. A private burial will be held later. 

 Memorial gifts can be sent in Paul’s name to Hospice, Care Central VNA 534 School St. Webster, Ma