Dave Ferrari made up for being the shortest boy on the Tahoe-Truckee High School basketball team by his sheer tenacity and enthusiasm, gifts that would immeasurably change the community in the decades to come. One of six children in the Ferrari family, Dave’s early days were spent entertaining guests, sweeping, and doing laundry at the Crown Motel. True to his immigrant Italian ancestry, Dave’s favorite meal included Nonna’s made-from-scratch ravioli. The motel was the heart of Kings Beach, and it often welcomed the public in its backyard to share the swimming pool and beachfront access. Dave and his sister Marilyn went on to manage the motel for many years.
Dave’s understanding of the importance of social equity and justice developed at an early age. In the 1960s and ’70s, families from Mexico came to Tahoe/Truckee and worked on the railroad or in the mills. Some also worked at the Crown Motel. Dave befriended several of these families, and Doug Diaz became a life-long friend. These relationships instilled in Dave a desire to give a voice to immigrant families, and reconciling inequities became a lifelong passion. He learned Spanish in Mexico and Nicaragua and traveled to Cuba, Italy, and many other places. Though he was more of a “draw the plan on a napkin/behind the scenes” kind of guy, these foundational experiences led to his focus on improving community services to level the playing field for our community’s most vulnerable.
Dave’s public service began when he co-founded La Comunidad Unida in response to growing racial tensions in the Tahoe/Truckee area. He was instrumental in the development of the Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe and the Sierra College Tahoe-Truckee Campus. He was an advocate for affordable workforce housing and influenced the redevelopment of the Kings Beach corridor to keep its historic character.
Generous of time and resources, Dave sponsored a family from Nicaragua who were fleeing persecution and personally drove to Florida to pick them up, later arranging lodging in Kings Beach. For many years he was like a father to their four children and gave them both roots and wings. Dave also befriended Cruz Zamora, an artist who was in a wheelchair with brittle bone disease. Dave could often be seen pushing Cruz through imaginary obstacle courses in the streets of Kings Beach, laughing raucously. He also took great pleasure in coaching the North Tahoe High Boys Basketball team for 10 years and was heartbroken when they lost to Truckee in the final game.
Dave was an accordion and guitar player and enjoyed listening to many genres of music. He loved the Grateful Dead, Joan Baez, and jazz, and was known as a concertgoer and supporter of the arts. One of his favorite songs to play was “Side by Side” by Kay Starr. The lyrics “We’re traveling the road, sharing the load, side by side,” made him smile even toward the end of his life when his brain fogged with dementia. Music was his constant companion.
Dave was quick to offer a warm smile, and his humble advice on making the community a more equitable, peaceful place to call home. Dave touched many lives with his generous, big love and willingness to use his tenacity and enthusiasm to make our world a much better place. Special thanks to his nephew Rick Shaff, mentee Victor Estrada, and so many others who cared for Dave through the end. His lifelong friend Hap Harrison said, “No mourning for Dave. He had a great time!”
