Charles "Charlie" Thomas Ferrara II

Charles Thomas Ferrara II, 51, of Cincinnati, Ohio passed away on November 5, 2026, at his longtime home on Parkside Place in his beloved neighborhood of Mount Adams.

Charlie was born on January 27,1975 at Franklin General Hospital in Valley Stream, New York to parents Charles and Roberta. Wherever he lived, Charlie remained a proud New Yorker - and proved it with his unwavering devotion to the New York Jets.

Charlie grew up in West Babylon and in Queens, NY, surrounded by a large extended family. In 1990, he moved with his mother, stepfather, and two sisters to Roxbury, NJ, where he finished at Roxbury High School. A talented trumpet player, Charlie performed in concert band, jazz band, and marching band, where his love of music grew.

Along with his oldest friend, Christopher O’Hara, Charlie attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Music Education and began his career teaching general music in the Hamilton City School District, where he met lifelong mentor and friend, John Fecker.

For nearly 19 years, Charlie was a high school band director, first at Turpin High School, then at Walnut Hills High School. While teaching at the high school level, he simultaneously earned his Master of Music Education, also from Miami University. His studies took him to faraway places, like the Republic of Ghana in West Africa and Bali, Indonesia. He delighted in sharing these experiences, bringing trinkets home to family and friends and directing an African Drum and Dance Ensemble at both high schools. Charlie successfully led several of his marching bands to Europe, to perform in the Paris New Year’s Day Parade and the London New Year’s Day Parade – as well as in New York’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Those experiences led him to consult for Youth Music of the World, connecting performers to some of the world’s most prestigious events.

In 2017, Charlie left teaching to follow his other passions. For 9 years, he was active with Heyman Talent Artist Agency, experiencing early success with modeling and acting, appearing in local commercials and ad campaigns, and most recently in an upcoming adventure comedy film, Raleigh V.S. One of his proudest experiences with Heyman Talent, though, was early on, when he was cast as Proton Man, a superhero from a comic book developed to help children and their families understand Proton Therapy for cancer. Dressed as Proton Man, Charlie visited sick children in hospitals.

In 2019, Charlie pursued a longtime dream of owning a restaurant and became co-owner of Latitudes Bar and Bistro in Anderson Township. There, Charlie grew the bar/restaurant’s music program, bringing professional sound, talent, and bands to its new stage every week. He helped host fundraisers for groups like the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame, which brings recognition to Cincinnati’s storied jazz history and awards scholarships to students.

All along, Charlie was an active musician, performing extensively with many groups including but not limited to: WorldWide, Philip Myers Band, Noah Wotherspoon, Monster Mike Cobb, Just Vince and the Fellas, and the group near and dear to his heart, Just Strange Brothers. You could count on seeing Just Strange Brothers and other top talent at The Annual (if you know, you go), a neighborhood music festival, which Charlie hosted annually over Labor Day Weekend in his own backyard, which culminated in a march to see the city’s fireworks display.

For all his accomplishments and life experiences, Charlie was happiest when he was surrounded by people he loved, especially his family (“family first!”). He was the one who got in a car and drove 9 hours to spend Christmas (and sometimes just a Tuesday) with you. He was the host of a 25-year-strong Monday night poker game with friends and an equally legendary knock-out football league. And after 51 years, he had friends all over the world, with whom he loved to visit and travel. Traveling and experiencing the different places and cultures was one of his true passions, but he always remembered his roots.

Charlie is survived by his daughter, Virginia Casey Ferrara; his father, Charles Ferrara; his stepmother, Diane Ferrara; his mother Roberta Doran; his sisters, Caitlin Doran and Meghan Doran; his stepsister Deborah Scarborough (Kutner); his brother-in-law, Thomas Scarborough the III; his nephew Tommy Scarborough IV and Tommy’s step sisters Izzy and Ava Scarborough; and his devoted partner, Sahale Little – as well as a host of family and friends who miss him dearly, including loving aunts, uncles, and many cousins.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame or the Frank Foster Jazz Camp.

Visitation will be held at Gilligan Funeral Home, 8225 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236 on Saturday, November 14, from 12pm-2pm, with a memorial service beginning at 2pm.

Charlie’s chosen family of friends and musicians here in Cincinnati was vast, and he has family all over the country. More celebrations are being planned for the future!