Ferne was born and raised in California. Her mother, Ruth, died when Ferne was a young girl. Being in Depression years, Ferne and her younger brother were shuffled around to various relatives during her High School years. Yet she graduated and earned a scholarship to attend San Jose State College, where she graduated with honors in biology.
During her college years, she met fellow student Clifford Atkins. They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Douglas County, Nevada on September 16th, 1937. They had two children, Robin born in 1942 and Thomas born in 1944.
On September 15, 1945 Clifford was killed in a tragic car accident. Thinking she would have a difficult time raising two children with only a BA degree, she immediately enrolled in graduate school at Stanford University. The two children went to live with their paternal grandparents, Martha and Charles Atkins in Sutter Creek, CA.
Ferne completed two years of course work toward a PhD, but did not write her thesis. During her time at Stanford, one of her many part-time jobs was as a research assistant to Edwin Cook, who had just completed his PhD from Stanford in entomology and was teaching there on a temporary basis.
After Ed completed his thesis, he was offered a professorship at the University of Minnesota. Before departing California, he asked Ferne to marry him, declaring his willingness to adopt and support her two children, then aged 5 and 7. They were married by a chaplain in the county of Santa Clara on August 3, 1949.
Immediately after getting married, they picked up the two children and drove across the country to St. Paul Minnesota, where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
Ferne and Ed had three children: Matthew (b. 1950), Jonathan (b. 1953)and Roxanna (b. 1959). In addition to raising 5 children, Ferne worked full time as the manager of a research laboratory for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control.
After retiring, Ferne and Ed became very active with their church (UCC). Both served as teachers and office assistants. Ferne, always skilled with hand and machine sewing, made a series of banners for their church. She was also commissioned by the University of Minnesota to design and make a banner which was given to a "sister city University" in Japan.
Ferne and Ed, as scholars, avid readers, bird watchers, gardeners, crossword puzzlers and community volunteers, were active into their late 80s. Ferne retained her quick wit and active mind right to the end. She died at age 94 after a short bout of pneumonia.
The children of Ferne and Ed have mingled their ashes and cast them into the waters of the Pacific Ocean, as per their wishes.
During her college years, she met fellow student Clifford Atkins. They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Douglas County, Nevada on September 16th, 1937. They had two children, Robin born in 1942 and Thomas born in 1944.
On September 15, 1945 Clifford was killed in a tragic car accident. Thinking she would have a difficult time raising two children with only a BA degree, she immediately enrolled in graduate school at Stanford University. The two children went to live with their paternal grandparents, Martha and Charles Atkins in Sutter Creek, CA.
Ferne completed two years of course work toward a PhD, but did not write her thesis. During her time at Stanford, one of her many part-time jobs was as a research assistant to Edwin Cook, who had just completed his PhD from Stanford in entomology and was teaching there on a temporary basis.
After Ed completed his thesis, he was offered a professorship at the University of Minnesota. Before departing California, he asked Ferne to marry him, declaring his willingness to adopt and support her two children, then aged 5 and 7. They were married by a chaplain in the county of Santa Clara on August 3, 1949.
Immediately after getting married, they picked up the two children and drove across the country to St. Paul Minnesota, where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
Ferne and Ed had three children: Matthew (b. 1950), Jonathan (b. 1953)and Roxanna (b. 1959). In addition to raising 5 children, Ferne worked full time as the manager of a research laboratory for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control.
After retiring, Ferne and Ed became very active with their church (UCC). Both served as teachers and office assistants. Ferne, always skilled with hand and machine sewing, made a series of banners for their church. She was also commissioned by the University of Minnesota to design and make a banner which was given to a "sister city University" in Japan.
Ferne and Ed, as scholars, avid readers, bird watchers, gardeners, crossword puzzlers and community volunteers, were active into their late 80s. Ferne retained her quick wit and active mind right to the end. She died at age 94 after a short bout of pneumonia.
The children of Ferne and Ed have mingled their ashes and cast them into the waters of the Pacific Ocean, as per their wishes.
Ferne was born and raised in California. Her mother, Ruth, died when Ferne was a young girl. Being in Depression years, Ferne and her younger brother were shuffled around to various relatives during her High School years. Yet she graduated and earned a scholarship to attend San Jose State College, where she graduated with honors in biology.
During her college years, she met fellow student Clifford Atkins. They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Douglas County, Nevada on September 16th, 1937. They had two children, Robin born in 1942 and Thomas born in 1944.
On September 15, 1945 Clifford was killed in a tragic car accident. Thinking she would have a difficult time raising two children with only a BA degree, she immediately enrolled in graduate school at Stanford University. The two children went to live with their paternal grandparents, Martha and Charles Atkins in Sutter Creek, CA.
Ferne completed two years of course work toward a PhD, but did not write her thesis. During her time at Stanford, one of her many part-time jobs was as a research assistant to Edwin Cook, who had just completed his PhD from Stanford in entomology and was teaching there on a temporary basis.
After Ed completed his thesis, he was offered a professorship at the University of Minnesota. Before departing California, he asked Ferne to marry him, declaring his willingness to adopt and support her two children, then aged 5 and 7. They were married by a chaplain in the county of Santa Clara on August 3, 1949.
Immediately after getting married, they picked up the two children and drove across the country to St. Paul Minnesota, where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
Ferne and Ed had three children: Matthew (b. 1950), Jonathan (b. 1953)and Roxanna (b. 1959). In addition to raising 5 children, Ferne worked full time as the manager of a research laboratory for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control.
After retiring, Ferne and Ed became very active with their church (UCC). Both served as teachers and office assistants. Ferne, always skilled with hand and machine sewing, made a series of banners for their church. She was also commissioned by the University of Minnesota to design and make a banner which was given to a "sister city University" in Japan.
Ferne and Ed, as scholars, avid readers, bird watchers, gardeners, crossword puzzlers and community volunteers, were active into their late 80s. Ferne retained her quick wit and active mind right to the end. She died at age 94 after a short bout of pneumonia.
The children of Ferne and Ed have mingled their ashes and cast them into the waters of the Pacific Ocean, as per their wishes.
During her college years, she met fellow student Clifford Atkins. They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Douglas County, Nevada on September 16th, 1937. They had two children, Robin born in 1942 and Thomas born in 1944.
On September 15, 1945 Clifford was killed in a tragic car accident. Thinking she would have a difficult time raising two children with only a BA degree, she immediately enrolled in graduate school at Stanford University. The two children went to live with their paternal grandparents, Martha and Charles Atkins in Sutter Creek, CA.
Ferne completed two years of course work toward a PhD, but did not write her thesis. During her time at Stanford, one of her many part-time jobs was as a research assistant to Edwin Cook, who had just completed his PhD from Stanford in entomology and was teaching there on a temporary basis.
After Ed completed his thesis, he was offered a professorship at the University of Minnesota. Before departing California, he asked Ferne to marry him, declaring his willingness to adopt and support her two children, then aged 5 and 7. They were married by a chaplain in the county of Santa Clara on August 3, 1949.
Immediately after getting married, they picked up the two children and drove across the country to St. Paul Minnesota, where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
Ferne and Ed had three children: Matthew (b. 1950), Jonathan (b. 1953)and Roxanna (b. 1959). In addition to raising 5 children, Ferne worked full time as the manager of a research laboratory for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control.
After retiring, Ferne and Ed became very active with their church (UCC). Both served as teachers and office assistants. Ferne, always skilled with hand and machine sewing, made a series of banners for their church. She was also commissioned by the University of Minnesota to design and make a banner which was given to a "sister city University" in Japan.
Ferne and Ed, as scholars, avid readers, bird watchers, gardeners, crossword puzzlers and community volunteers, were active into their late 80s. Ferne retained her quick wit and active mind right to the end. She died at age 94 after a short bout of pneumonia.
The children of Ferne and Ed have mingled their ashes and cast them into the waters of the Pacific Ocean, as per their wishes.
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