April 14, 1923-Jan. 24, 2011
Fern Elizabeth Wernicke, 87, died at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 24, 2011 due to ongoing complications with congestive heart failure.
She was born April 14, 1923 in Bordulac, N.D., the daughter of Matthew and Helene (Haase) Went-land.
She graduated from high school in Bordulac, N.D., in 1940. She went to beauty school and worked in a beauty shop in Carrington, N.D., until 1945. She and her sisters, Rosamond and Daisy, moved with her mother and father to Long Beach, Calif., in 1945.
She worked for the Bank of America in Long Beach until 1950 when she transferred to the Ontario Branch. In Ontario she met Harold Don Wernicke. They married in 1958.
Mrs. Wernicke had two children, twins Dale and Carol, in November 1958.
The family resided in Ontario, Calif., for two years before moving to Montclair, Calif., where they lived until 1972.
In 1972 Mr. Wernicke retired, and the family moved to Sweet Home. The Wernickes lived on Wiley Creek Road, where they had 11 acres of land that they converted into a tree farm until 1989. They moved to Sunset Lane in 1989.
Mr. Wernicke died from cancer in February 1994. Mrs. Wernicke spent the next 15 years lovingly caring for the home on Sunset Lane. She spent her last year at Wiley Creek Assisted Living community rejoining old friends and making many new friends in her brief stay.
She was a member of Sweet Home Christian Church on 18th and Long Street where she participated in many activities over the years. She was an avid bowler, belonging to leagues in both Sweet Home and Lebanon. She enjoyed playing Pinochle, knitting and crocheting. She also loved hiking and camping in the outdoors.
Mrs. Wernicke’s last year was difficult as she lost her older sister, Rosamond, in December 2009. Her younger sister, Daisy, had a major stroke in March 2010 and died in December 2010 of complications from myasthenia gravis. She battled rheumatoid arthritis for many years. Although the pain from RA was excruciating at times, she always kept a bright upbeat spirit about her. Her favorite doctor was her rheumatologist, Dr. Cody Wasner of Eugene, who aided her for over 30 years.
Mrs. Wernicke is survived by her son, Dale and wife, Susan Wernicke, of Kelso, Wash.; and daughter, Carol and husband, Frank Gates, of Clarkston, Wash.; stepson, Don Wernicke of Silver Springs, Nev.; three granddaughters; one grandson; and one stepgrandson.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Matthew in 1955 and Helen in 1966; her husband, Harold in 1994; her sisters, Rosamond in 2009, Daisy in 2010 and Shirley, who died in childhood from complications with the “dust bowl era,” and her younger brother John in 1967 from an auto accident.
A graveside service was held on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011 at Gilliland Cemetery.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel handled the arrangements.