Fern Maxine Parker Walton, age 91, died at the Life Care Center, in Coeur d’Alene, on March 16, 2012.

She was born on Jan. 29, 1921, in Colville, Wash., to Harry M. and Bernice Parker. She graduated from Mason City High School in Mason City, Wash., and then moved to Ephrata where she worked as a housekeeper and cook. She met Charles Walton in Ephrata and they married on Oct. 29, 1941, and lived in Soap Lake, Wash., until they moved to Rathdrum in 1951, where Charles farmed until retirement. They had four sons: Dale, Clifford, Roger, and Neal. They were married for 66 years until Charles passed away in 2008.

In addition to her work as a wife and mother, Fern was a gifted seamstress, and she enjoyed being active in her community. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge when she lived in Ephrata. After moving to Rathdrum, she was very active in the United Methodist Church, the Rathdrum Grange and the Kootenai County Extension Homemakers club. She served as a 4-H leader for more than 20 years. She was awarded leader of the year in 1965, and served as president of the Kootenai County 4-H leaders council. She also volunteered at the North Idaho Museum in Coeur d’Alene and as a member of Santa’s Elves, where she served coffee and refreshments at a local highway rest area.

Fern was very interested in learning about her family history and spent many hours researching family genealogy. She was proud to trace her ancestry back to early 17th century colonists in Virginia, and Quaker settlers of Ohio. She could trace her Washington roots back to the settlers of the state in the early 20th century, and was a distant cousin to Vice President John Nance Garner, who served under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Fern was preceded in death by her husband Charles, her son Neal, who died as an infant, and her brothers Harry Parker and Everett Parker.

She is survived by her sons Dale (Joyce) of Yucaipa, Calif., Clifford (Gail) of Otis Orchards, Wash., Roger (Shirley) of Rathdrum; sisters Evelyn Sublie, of Kettle Falls, Wash., Francis Broadbent, of Lacey, Wash., Alyce Hamilton, of Spokane, Wash., and Doris Sieverkropp of Ephrata, Wash., and her brother John Parker of Cheney, Wash. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. April 14, 2012, at The Coeur d’Alene Bible Church, 5350 N. 4th St.

Yates Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Please visit Fern’s online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com and sign her guest book.

Memorial donations may be made to the Kootenai /Shoshone 4-H Endowment Fund in care of U of I Extension — Kootenai County, 1808 N. 3rd St., Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814.