Ferrara Colonial Mortuary

Mortuaries are not happy places to begin with, but this place accentuates it. With its sad dreary appearance and run down interior it just exudes unhappiness. It was probably a fine looking place in its heyday but it is well worn and unkempt now. The employees seemed to be of low quality and disinterested. The bathroom was horrendous and the size of a broom closet. The manager needed a shave and shower. He looked to be more suited for a lumber mill than funeral home. The chapel is small with no windows or ventilation. The outdoor lighting was terrible and parking is next door at the local church. A budget experience for a princely cost. You can do better. A lot better. more

My family has used this place many times. I met the owner years ago when there was two of them. The place got sort of run down until the owners son in law Joseph Ochoa took over. He's a real smart guy who really takes care of you. He's helped us a couple of times over the last few years. He's an honest good man. I was surprised to hear he's gone now. I thought he was taking over. The new guy is terrible. He's stuck up and comes off as a know it all. We used them but won't again. the service was ok but lacked any special qualities. It felt run of the mill. Lenny had a perfect situation with Joe. Maybe sometimes people just can't hand over the reigns or recognize when time has passed them by. He had a real prince in Joe. A good man for our community. I have heard talk that Joe was forced out. If that's the case it's even sadder. I'll miss Joe. There was no question that we would be back if Joe was there. Now there is no question we won't since he's gone. more

Just attended funeral. Saw two of their people getting into it in front of the church. The guy in charge Mike went off on a guy and left. The other workers clearly did not think much of him as they cracked jokes when he left. Unprofessional and inappropriate. more

My wife is ill. I wanted to know how much it would be to send her home to be buried in Italy. I got the rudest , put off runaround ever. They don't know how much, ""it will take a month, why don't I cremate instead"". I asked why they were so abrupt. They said they were busy. They advertise that they ship remains around the world but you can't get an answer. I asked for the guy in the reviews, Joe. He is not there anymore. The Cathedral referred me to him. Does anyone know where he is at now. I would never use this company. Rude and un-helpful. more

I am changing my review. I left a review after my wife passed away 2 years ago. I gave 5 stars at the time because the person who helped me Joe Ochoa was outstanding. It has come to my attention that he is no longer there. Without him I can not recommend them. I have used them twice before. As I mentioned in my original review I was not happy the first time i used them when my brother passed. The second time Joe Ochoa was wonderful. He made all the difference. I now have come to find out that Joe is not there and the former person who was the problem years ago is back. I can not in good conscience recommend them now. Does anyone know where Joe is? That is where I would go. He is the best. more

I made contact with this establishment because I had read the great reviews and I live nearby. I also go to church next door and drive by daily. I have seen their funerals and but not attended one. My mother is ill and her time is coming near so I wanted to get an idea of cost. I had spoken to the church office a few months ago and they had great things to say about the man Joe who worked there. I work in IT so I looked up the facility and saw that they had great reviews and that this person Joe was spoken of in the highest terms. I called to speak to someone and the woman who answered said no one was available and she took my number. Nobody called me back, I called again a few days later and said that no one had called me back. She said the owner was out and that he would call me. Nobody called. I was at church and spoke to someone there I know and I was told that the Joe that everyone seems to love is no longer there and that the old owner has taken over and is not so highly regarded. She went on to say that essentially Joe was forced out and that the quality has dropped off to the point where they are no longer recommended. I decided to try anyway because they are so convenient. I walked over and noticed that the parking lot is need of serious repair as I nearly tripped walking over. I was met at the door by a woman who when I informed her that I had some some questions rushed me into a room with coffins on the wall, I told her I wanted a cremation and she asked me a bunch of questions about what services I wanted, Mind you, she never asked for my name. I asked to see their chapel. It was small and poorly lit. They have a tiny bathroom and the carpet was dingy. I asked about the person Joe who I had heard about. I was told that he was no longer there but she would give no details. Frankly I got the feeling that things had really dropped off and I was not comfortable so I took some pricing documents and left. I went to another local funeral home and discussed my experience. I was told that Joe Ochoa was forced out so the old owner could return. That the old owner had a less than stellar reputation and that the only reason it was reviewed highly was because of a person who is no longer there. Everyone I spoke to at church and locally confirmed what I have heard. I am concerned that people will go there based on high reviews for a person no longer there. If my experience is any indication. People should be warned. more

Let me preface this by saying that the only reason I am giving 5 stars is because of Joe Ochoa. My experience is a little different from the others. I came to the funeral home through an on-line affiliated company run by the funeral home's owner. There was some miscommunication between us and things were delayed causing me a great deal of stress. Somehow Joe from the main company came in and took care of everything. He handled in 5 minutes what everyone else took days to do. Once he stepped in it was smooth sailing. I really appreciate that. I know that none of the issues were from the side of the company that he handles, but he stepped in and took care of it anyway. Next time, hopefully not in a long while, I'll just go through Joe and the main mortuary. He earned 5 stars. I will leave a separate review for the on-line cremation company. more

My dearest husband passed away without warning. I was completely distraught and did not know where to turn. My son got on the internet and started calling funeral homes. We did not have a lot of time so we looked at some that had good reviews. My son called and spoke to someone at Ferrara. It was the middle of the night and honestly he was not impressed with who we spoke to. We set an appointment for the following day. I had reservations when we arrived. I had told my son that if we did not like what we heard we would go somewhere else. Joseph Ochoa came in and met with us. From the outset I was comfortable. He and my son had gone to the same university and they hit it off right away. Joe actually listened to us. He did not rush us and answered every question we had. He also explained eveything in such detail and in such an articulate way that we literally had no questions to ask. He was so kind that I felt I was having a conversation with an old friend. I knew he would take care of my husband. We took so much of his time that I really felt terrible. Yet, I never felt rushed. The service was beautiful. Joe directed it himself. It was perfect. Joe had his driver take us by my husbands place of business on the way to the cemetery. We have been there for nearly four decades. It meant a lot to us. He had the Navy come out to the cemetery. I cried so hard when they gave me the flag. I don't do much on the internet. But my children said we should write something so people know about this wonderful man. My son found this site again and so here I am. I should have done this sooner but it has been hard. I thank God for Joe. I really felt my husbands presence when we met Joe. He and Joe would have gotten along great. more

My wife was on hospice care and I was told I needed to select a funeral home. I was given a list and started calling. I spoke to Joe Ochoa and he was clearly the most informed and competent person I spoke to. I didn't make any firm commitments because I was receiving advice from a number of people. When my wife passed I told the nurse that i was using Ferrara Mortuary. I called the funeral home and spoke to a gal who had Lynn call me back. He was nice. When I asked for Joe I was told he was gone for the day and that I should call back in the morning. 10 minutes later Joe called me and said he would take care of everything, and he did. He was so kind I am honestly tearing up when I write this. I knew my wife was in good hands. They took care of everything from the death certificates to the burial. I strongly endorse them. more

Our family had two tragedies within a few days. Our cousin and aunt both passed away. My cousin was young and it was a shock. We have used Ferrara's before and went back to them. We went to the church first and they told us to speak to Joe. We set up an appointment and met with Joe the manager. His kindness and patience was incredible. We were confused and upset but his calmness reassured us that we were in good hands. We did not know that we would be meeting him again in less than a week. He is a special person. We met his father who is adorable. Everyone there helped us so much. Even now writing this I am in tears remembering the funerals. They were beautiful. Joe is like family to us now. more

It was and is a tragic situation for my family. We were not expecting the death and were not prepared for what happened. Nothing can take away our pain and hurt but having Joe help us gave us a sense that we were in good hands. His professionalism and competence were exactly what we needed. Frankly, he was not what I expected to meet. He exceeded our expectations. A very good man. I can' thank him enough. more

They have always served our community. They were so kind and helpful to our family. They have always been there for us. Joe has been a friend to us for many years. he is kind man. more

This last year has been very traumatic. Losing my sister after a long battle with cancer nearly tore us apart. I grew up in Orange and have driven by the funeral home for years but never had reason to go. I went with my brother in law when my sister was sick to get pricing. We met with Joe and he completely changed my expectations. i thought it would be cold, scary and impersonal. It was the opposite. he was compassionate, warm and caring. He showed a lot of support to my brother in law who was having a very difficult time. Joe talked to him like a friend. My sister fought for 4 months, when she passed we called the funeral home and they arrived really quickly, and their people were very professional. We met with Joe, and he remembered us. They arranged the funeral and carried it off beautifully. They have no idea how much their kindness and professionalism meant to us. Pros: Joseph Cons: Building is a little old more

My dad passed away. He wasn't very religious and didn't want us to spend any money on a big funeral. He wanted to be cremated. We planned on having his ashes scattered at sea and maybe have a reception or service later at our home. I called around a lot when he was sick. Spoke to a bunch of people. Prices were all over the place. A lot of ""cremation clubs"" and other sort of shady places came up in my search. A lot of funeral homes as well. I didn't know most funeral homes were crematories too. Most places were the same, said the same thing etc. But the pricing was all over the map. A lot of places had no where to go. They kept pushing for an ""in home "" visit. Honestly I don't want strangers in my home , no offense. I also want to see the place. You would be suprisd to find out how many of these places don't actually have a location, Anyway, this funeral home was local to us and were very accomodating in regard to my availability. They were very knowledgeable and made sure that I understood what was going on. It was pretty painless but California certainly requires a lot of paperwork before you can cremate. These folks did exactly what we wanted and the price was pretty darn good to. No complaints and I recommend them. Pros: Professional, inexpensive Cons: paperwork more

These guys have been around awhile. I drive by often while showing homes in the neighborhood. They came to mind first when my wife passed. i am not overly religious and wanted something tasteful, simple and inexpensive. My wife was frugal, and so am I. I dropped by and spoke to Joe. He was very helpful and explained everything. I was debating cremation or burial and had to get back to them. When I was ready Joe met with me on a Sunday. I found out later he had to commute in from quite a distance to meet me. I really appreciated that. I know what its like to have to fit in with other's schedules. He was kind and professional. I opted for burial at a local cemetery and had a service in their chapel. I wasn't sure who would come but a lot of people did and I am touched by their thoughtfulness. They did a real good job. Pros: Straightforward honest fair Cons: Someone has to die to meet them more

The did a wonderful service for my dad. Full honors. Joe and his people were wonderful. they did a great job setting everything up and carrying it out. Only knock was the carpet in their chapel was a little threadbare in spots. Pros: Pro's all the way Cons: Could use new carpet more

Needed to pre-arrange services for my dad. He's not doing well. I called them and made an appointment. Everything was clearly explained and presented. No pressure and very kind. Pros: Very competent Cons: Hard to find more

I lost my father to cancer and did not know what to do. I called around and spoke to a bunch of people. This place is the only one that stuck out. The person I spoke to was very detailed and anticipated my questions. Of all the places I called he was the only one who mentioned that the corner was going to charge us for picking up my dad. The coroner didn't even mention the fee when we spoke. Sure enough there was an $318.00 fee made payable to the sheriff/coroner that had to be paid before we could get my dad. You would think that more than one person among the dozen or so I spoke to would have mentioned it. Ferrara's was the only place. They were very up front and were very clear about what was going to happen, and for me that was great because I did not have a clue on what to do. I met with a girl who was great. She was the same way with me that her boss was. Kind and detailed. All the paperwork was done in under an hour. Nice and simple. I highly reccomend them. Very professional. Pros: Professionalism more

i do not do reviews, but I made an exception in this case. My wonderful experience with Ferrara Mortuary and their staff made a tough time bearable. I met the owner years ago when my grandmother died. When my husband passed I was confused and did not know what to do. I called a couple of places and went to one in Fountain Valley. I met with their salesperson and she just rubbed me the wrong way. I left and went home to cry. My brother suggested I call the place where grandma had her service. After some looking I found Ferrara. Thank goodness. They met with me right away and explained everyhing to me. I did not know how long the coroner would have my husband and they helped me know what to expect. We used their chapel for our service. It was a little small as we had a very big turnout but it accomodated us all. The carpet was a little old and the outside needs some paint but the service was exceptional. The cost was less than anticipated. We saved a lot on the casket. I highly recommend them. Pros: I did not feel rushed or pressured Cons: In need of a facelift more

My dad was in hospice. They said I had to pick a mortuary. I said my dad was going to be cremated and they said I still had to pick a place. I looked around and spoke to a lot of people. In all honesty they were pretty much all the same. The prices varied a lot. Some were really cheap, but I got a bad vibe. Some were really expensive but I felt I was getting a big upsell. I called Ferrara on a Tuesday afternoon and the person actually took the time to speak to me like a human being. I came in the next day and they handled all the preparations and paperwork. I just wanted a cremation with no frills. They didn't push me to do more like some of the other places which I appreciated. Money is tight and my dad wouldn't want anything fancy. My dad passed a couple of days later and they came out right away. His ashes were ready afew days later. Very simple. The price was right as well. Pros: Good price and service Cons: Off the beaten path more