Fern was born December 20, 1893 at Provo, Utah, the fourth child of nine born to Phebe Trulove Ward and Evan Wride. Her father was the Bishop of the Provo 2nd Ward when she was born and was one of the outstanding citizens and community leaders in Provo. Her mother and father were both converts to the LDS Church, she joining in England and he in Wales. They had met after coming to Zion for the gospel's sake and were married in the Logan Temple on 16 Feb 1887, by Marriner W. Merrill. Fern was always grateful to have been born in America and to have been reared in such a fine home. She grew up in a large, two-story home in Provo, which had a lovely yard, lawn, large garden and many fruit trees. There were many children in the home to work and play with as her father had been married before and his first wife had died, leaving Phebe, the second wife, to rear all the children--a total of sixteen. Fern had many good memories of her early years. She attended school in the old Franklin School. She was a good student and loved and studied music there. She sang in the ward choir and at many funerals and sacrament meetings. A favorite memory was receiving an egg for work well done or as a special treat and then going to a little store where she could trade the egg for candy and goodies. Special times were held at night when the family would sing hymns and make molasses candy with skim they could get from the molasses mill. Most of her clothing was homemade by her mother who would sew into the night by the light of the coal oil lamp to keep her family well clothed. There were many chores to do--caring for their lovely home and yard, the garden and the many animals that they kept. Fern and her sister, Elizabeth, worked together much of the time, doing the dishes, making their beds, going to the store every morning before school, scrubbing the clothes on wash day as they did not have a washer. They were so small that they had to turn over an old dishpan and stand on it to reach their work. Fern also helped her Grandmother and Grandfather Ward a great deal. Their health was failing, so Fern would walk the 8 blocks to their home each day and do all their work except the washing. They paid her $1.50 a week, with which she bought her own clothes. As she grew older, she worked in the County Treasurer's Office for three or four seasons during tax time. When she was 17, she started to work at the Utah State Mental Hospital caring for the patients. There she learned nursing skills, which helped her a great deal throughout her life caring for her family and friends. This skill earned her the reputation in later years of being a midwife and she assisted in the delivery of many babies, including grandsons Bob and Brad. One baby, she delivered all by herself. Fern was a pretty girl, with long dark hair and laughing eyes. In the spring of 1915 she came to Rigby on a vacation for 6 weeks with two girl friends, Ruby Phillips and Hazel Hawkins. They stayed at the Henry Owens' home because they were Hazel's aunt and uncle. Hazel and Fern took a job at a boarding house in Ririe and there she met George Alvin Taylor, who was working in Ririe with his brother Elmer. George was smitten and courted her to shows and dances. Their transportation was Elmer's old Model T Ford with no top on it. When Fern returned to Provo, George made plans to see her and he went to Provo for two days for the 4th of July celebration. It was then that he proposed to her, she accepted, and on his way back to Idaho, he bought her a nice ring with her birthstones, the turquoise and pearls. They wrote every day until they were married on 15 December 1915 at her home in Provo. The marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple on 4 February, 1920. Fern made her own wedding dress. They made their home in Rigby, where George worked in the painting business with his brother, Elmer. They first lived in a five-room house in Rigby which was located where Broulim's parking lot is today. They later purchased a farm in the Garfield area where they worked very hard raising crops and animals. George and Fern were the parents of four children: Helen Fern, Lucile, Max Alvin and Mary Lou. When George's health began to fail, they bought the home in town where Fern lived for the rest of her life. George had poor health caused by heart problems for several years and he passed away on 8 April 1937. When Mary Lou was starting high school and only she and Fern were left at home, Fern started to work as a clerk at the Rigby Frock Shop where she was employed for 2 years. She then started working as a cook at the school for the hot lunch program and she worked there for 4 years. While working there, she became better acquainted with a fine gentleman, Sylvester Call, who worked as a janitor for the school. Sylvester had previously lost his wife and he and Fern became great companions. They were married on 23 December 1944. Sylvester and Fern were good to and for each other. Whatever they did, they did together. They loved the Lawrence Welk program, taking trips together, caring for their home and yard together and right up until the last time they were together in their home, they were making bread together. Fern's health began to fail in her later years and for several years she was not able to be involved in the lives of her family as she had been. She and Sylvester remained close to home for a long time and tried to take care of each other. Fern became too ill to be cared for at home about the 1st part of August and she spent her last days in the nursing home in Idaho Falls where she passed away quietly on Friday, October 14, 1983 about 3 p.m. She was survived by her husband Sylvester, her four children; Helen, Lucile, Max and Mary Lou, two step-sons, Gerald and Don Call, 16 grandchildren, 20 step-grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, 21 step grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. (bio information provided by Pamela Hawkes, great-granddaughter)