She was born Sept. 9, 1928 in Loveland, Colo., to Ross and Freida (Edwards) Andrews.
The Andrews family moved to Corvallis when Fern was very young. She graduated from Corvallis High School and married George H. Barton in 1946. They lived in Corvallis, Redmond and Albany before settling in Hermiston in 1957. The two had four children prior to divorcing in 1970. Fern married George E. Williams in 1972 and they spent nine short years together in Hermiston and Milton-Freewater. After his death in January 1982, Fern returned to Corvallis to be closer to her brother and sister, and one of her daughters. In 2007, Fern moved back to Hermiston and was a resident of the Sun Terrace Assisted Living facility for many years.
Fern enjoyed being with family and friends. She especially enjoyed visiting her sister in Trinidad, her brother in Maui, traveling with her oldest son to Mexico, and spending time with her husband and children and many others at the Oregon Coast she loved so much. Many weekends were spent at the cabin in Starkey along with many winters in sunny Arizona. Fern took various cruises and her favorite was through the inland-passage that was topped off by a train ride to Fairbanks, Alaska where she panned for gold.
Fern was an excellent seamstress and made clothes for her daughters for many years. She also enjoyed crafts and completed numerous counted cross-stitch projects that are treasured by her family. Decorating for each holiday was a priority for Fern. And when it came to playing her favorite games, including Solitaire and Chicken Foot, Pinochle was always at the top of her list.
Fern was a member of the Eagles Lodge and the Hermiston Elks Emblem Club where she rose through the ranks to become State President and played the kazoo “feather duster” in the original Prairie Chickens Kitchen Band. The band provided entertainment at many events, including TV and radio.
Fern is survived by her children, Richard Barton (Patti), Hermiston, Pam Noble (Dave), Baker City, Sandy Prock (Dave), Sandy, and Bob Barton (Joanie), Hermiston; stepchildren, Terry Williams (Jan), Sumner, Wash., and Deb Heighes (Randy), Elgin; grandchildren, Shelby Barton, Roxi Barton, Michelle Olds, Shanna Barton, Kari Barton and Kyle Barton; stepgrandchildren, Niki Creech, Heather Munger, Deana Combe, Miki Royer, Trever Heighes and Lacie Skilling and their families; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George Williams; parents, Ross and Freida Andrews; brother, Vernon Andrews; sisters, Doris Stevens and Fran Brown; and grandchildren, Tiffany Barton and Jacob Olds.
A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, March 20, 2015 at Sun Terrace Assisted Living, 1550 NW 11th St., in Hermiston.
Private family burial will be at Grandview Cemetery in La Grande.
In lieu of flowers, please donate in Fern’s memory to a charity of your choice.
Please sign the online guest book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
