Michael Ray Ferrell

Michael Ray Ferrell took his final breath on July 28, 2026, following a brief and devastating illness with lung cancer. Born September 24, 1960, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to his cheeky mother Doris Mae Ferrell (née Glass) and hard-working father Jesse Ray Ferrell, Mike was their first child and inherited a little something from each of them. Shortly after his debut, his sister Denise Michelle came along, and the Ferrell family was complete. Mike was Doris’ sweet little boy who never did wrong, despite what his sister, cousins, grandparents, and even his own father might tell you. If you ask Doris, Mike would never hurt a fly. If you ask anyone else in his life, the fly was in serious danger. Flies may not have been safe around Mike, but family and friends were cherished under his roof. His children and grandchildren share countless memories of karaoke, yard games, and pool hangs at his home. When looking through the photos of those nights, it’s worth noting that Mike usually wasn’t in front of the camera. He built his career in audio-visual technology – he knew that magic is often someone connecting wires and managing equipment behind the scenes. His family will deeply miss this one-man act: the kiddie rides on his lawn mower, roasted marshmallows in his dangerously large fires, and his constant calls for another game to get going. Mike considered himself a lucky guy. His winning streak was unlike most: a year’s worth of pizza, tickets to Texas Motor Speedway, Disney World tickets for five, or free entrance to nearly every stadium and concert venue in Dallas-Fort Worth. Mike shared his luck with those around him. His friends remember him for his generous spirit and kind heart. Memories of those good times with his favorite people are a salve for those left navigating a world without Mike’s charm. But Mike didn’t leave everything to luck. After earning a degree in Electronic Engineering, he married Meri Anne Yarrington, started his family, and advanced his career with Texaco. He worked his way up from the oil fields around Colorado, Wyoming, and Oklahoma, to Texaco’s Exploration & Production Technology operation in Houston. Mike knew the ins and outs of the state-of-the-art facility, often joking that the only person with more access than him was the janitor. Mike eventually left ChevronTexaco for a promotion, moving his family to the Dallas metroplex, where he spent the rest of his life. He continued the career he loved as an audio-visual technician, spending his final four years with Haynes and Boone. He leaves behind his parents Jess and Doris; sister Denise (Daniel) Cooley; four daughters: Mallory (John) Wooten, Michaela (Michael) Samuels, Madison Ferrell, and Mariah (Charles) Knowles; life partner Rae-Dawn Brightman; six grandchildren: Bryce and Sean Wooten, Mitchell and Brody Samuels, and Margot and Rose Meri Wemple; and nephew Johny (Tre’Lea) Cooley. These people, along with his cousins and countless friends who he treated like family, will treasure his love, remember his laughter, and pay forward the kindness with which Mike crafted his life. Mike will be remembered at Floral Haven Funeral Home in Tulsa, OK, on August 29 at 10 a.m., with a gathering to follow. His “Retirement Party” will be at Buffalo Hirsch Bar and Grill in Lewisville, TX, September 12 with friends welcome to come-and-go from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. His family will be collecting nonperishable food donations for the North Texas Food Bank in his honor. All who knew Mike are welcome to celebrate his life with us: bring canned goods for the local community, sing his favorite songs, and toast to a man who lived loud and loved deeply.

Michael Ray Ferrell

September 24, 1960 - July 28, 2026