Fern Fenstermaker Winks

BURLEY – Fern Fenstermaker Winks, age 86, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend passed away peacefully at the Cassia Regional Medical Center in Burley, on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, surrounded by her children.

Fern was born on Feb. 4, 1926, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Alvin and Edna Fenstermaker of Springdale, Idaho. She was the oldest of seven children. She attended schools in the Mini-Cassia area, graduating from Heyburn High School in 1945. She was raised on the local farms helping her father with whatever farm labor needed to be done – be it feeding the animals or plowing and cultivating the fields.

After high school, she attended LDS Business College for one semester, but due to finances, needed to return to the farm. She worked at the Prisoner of War Camp in Paul, Idaho, during World War II.

After World War II, she met her future husband, Emery, at a local dance at the Y-Dell Ballroom. They were married on July 25, 1946, and moved to Malta where she worked for the Raft River Electric. They later moved to Burley in 1948 for Emery to take a position at Fronk Motor, and she worked for the Agricultural Stabilization and Commerce until 1955. After her children were in school, she returned to the working field, working at Kaman Bearing, Don Ovitt, and later Kim Hansen Chevrolet, retiring in 1991.

She was active in the Organization of the Mini-Cassia Bowling Association and later the State of Idaho Bowling Association, holding various leadership positions. She was also active in the PTA during the years her children were in school. Due to her many years of service she was inducted into the Idaho State Bowling Hall of Fame and given a permanent membership in the National Bowling Congress. She was recently inducted into the Idaho State Gutter Gussie Bowling Hall of Fame. She’s also a lifetime member of the PTA organization. She was active in the LDS Church, serving in many callings.

Fern enjoyed making crafts, sewing, and gardening. During the summer she stayed busy tending to her vegetable and flower gardens and then canning the fruits of her labors. She also supported, with her presence and tape recorder in hand, Emery and her children in their various musical performances – whether it be dance bands or concerts.

She is survived by her daughter, Deanna Ivey (Rob) of Knoxville, Tennessee; one son, Ron Winks (Karla) of Meridian, Idaho; her grandchildren, Brant Ivey, Chris Ivey, Todd Ivey, Ronnie Winks and Karl Winks; four sisters, Della Littler (Darrel) of Filer, Idaho, Maxine Watson (George) of Rupert, Idaho, Alice Cantrell (Dave) of Greenleaf, Idaho, and Connie Freeman (Jerry) of Gooding, Idaho. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and three brothers.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, with Bishop Larry Kloepfer officiating. Burial will be in Gem Memorial Gardens in Burley.

Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday, Sept 10, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Tuesday at the Rasmussen Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to a charity of your choice in memory of Fern Winks.