Individual Details

Posted through Harry Nauman &Son, Sacramento, California: Ferne was born on April 26, 1928 in Honeycreek, Wisconsin. She lived on a farm with her four siblings, Hazel, Ruth, Elmer, Ralph, and her parents, William and Caroline Clason. Ferne enjoyed her early childhood on the farm. She loved playing on the farm with her siblings, running through the cornfields and woods nearby. Her parents provided for the family by growing their own food and raising their own livestock. Her father was known to give her and her siblings sleigh rides to her school nearby, when they weren't walking "five miles" to school in the snow. Ferne has some of her best memories from her life on the farm. Sadly, times became difficult when Ferne's father died at around the early age of 40. After his passing, the family moved to Burlington, WI, as the farm was too much work for the rest of the family to keep up. Ferne graduated from Burlington High School in 1946 and later gained employment working for the Wisconsin telephone company. She loved her job and always talked about what a great time she had there. She told stories of playing pranks on incoming callers. She spoke of many great memories there. Although she loved her job, Wisconsin and being near her family, she had always wanted to move to California, however. In 1953, Ferne and some girlfriends she worked with, did just that. They took a bus out to California, and settled in Santa Monica near the beach. Ferne missed her family dearly, and it was difficult to be without them during the holidays, especially those first couple years. Over time, though, things became a little easier. Ferne eventually met her husband James Montague while in Santa Monica. They married in 1956. After their first child, Julie, Ferne and her family moved to Sacramento, CA, as her husband had accepted employment at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation. Thereafter, they had two other children, Jeff, and Jody. Ferne was a very loving mother, she enjoyed spending time with her children, taking them on camping trips, fishing trips and other outings. She really enjoyed being outdoors, gardening, planting flowers and watching the birds in her bird feeders. She was a member of International Training in Communications, which she enjoyed very much. Also, she belonged to the card club at the Sacramento Japanese Methodist Church which she attended every Thursday. She loved to travel with her friends from the speaking club. She traveled to Scotland, Japan, Alaska, Hawaii and other destinations, but her favorite place was Scotland because it was so green and pretty she stated. Holidays were special to her, especially Christmas. She enjoyed decorating the house and cutting down a fresh tree which was tradition in our family. She would bake several kinds of cookies because she knew the grandchildren loved them. Family was always present on Christmas and other holidays which was important to her. Ferne also volunteered for 19 years at Bowling Green Elementary School in the kindergarten class which she loved so much. She baked cookies for the class every holiday which she enjoyed. She was truly a giving person, loved to help others. Family meant so much to her. She has said she has lived a good life and has done everything she wanted to do. She had so many wonderful friends whom she loved very much. Ferne will be greatly missed, but her spirit will live on in all of us. May you rest in peace, we love you.

Ferne is survived by her sister Hazel, three loving children, Julie, Jeffrey, and Jody (Bill), her grandchildren, Michael ( Danielle), Ahna, Brandon (Jac), Vanessa (Steven), and two great grandchildren, Mason and Natalie.

Birth	26 Apr 1928	Honey Creek, Walworth Co., Wisconsin
Birth	1929	Wisconsin
Marriage	28 Apr 1956	Los Angeles Co., California - James Leonard Montague
Divorce	Feb 1974	Sacramento Co., California - James Leonard Montague
Death	19 Feb 2015	Sacramento, Sacramento Co., California
Alt name		Fern Clason
Burial		Unknown

Spouse	James Leonard Montague (1929 - 1997)
Child	Julie A. Montague (1957 - )
Child	Jeffrey L. Montague (1960 - )
Child	Jody L. Montague (1961 - )

Father	William Alexander Clason (1896 - 1936)
Mother	Caroline Mueller (1898 - 1973)
Sibling	Ruth E. Clason (1920 - 2007)
Sibling	Hazel Bernice Clason (1923 - 2015)
Sibling	Elmer G. Clason (1926 - 2004)
Sibling	Ralph Kenneth Clason (1930 - 2004)