Fern Williams Dunn

Fern Williams Dunn was born on June 3, 1917 in Venus, New Mexico, which is now just a little north of Edgewood, New Mexico, to Hiram and Georgia King Williams. The family moved several times from the Estancia Valley to Oklahoma and back. Fern attended grade school in Torrance County, but graduated from Arapaho, Oklahoma. She married her high school sweetheart, who also drove the school bus she rode to school, Charles William (Bill) Dunn on November 14, 1937. They operated the Edgewood Café and Sinclair Gasoline Station from 1938-1940. Fern made the best hamburgers in the county! In 1941 they purchased a small ranch south of Edgewood where they could raise a family and some cattle and other animals. Fern and Bill also raised four children, Regena, Shirley, Buddy and Linda. She experienced pumping water from the well and then hauling it to the house to cook, do laundry and give baths on Saturday nights. They lived on the ranch, without the convenience of indoor plumbing until 1956 when they moved to Moriarty to be closer to school and the school activities for their family. Fern held many jobs throughout her years in Torrance County, beside being a busy Mom. She worked at the Moriarty Trading Company, Blackies Café and Curios, and the Moriarty Post Office from which she retired with over 20 years of service. In 1936 she became very active in the County Home Demonstration Club which later became known as the Torrance County Extension Homemakers Organization. In 1991 she received the 50 years plus award at the State Extension Homemakers Meeting. She was also an outstanding 4-H leader for many years for the Moriarty 4-H club. She was a charter member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 74 and served as a counselor and strong supporter of the New Mexico Girls State program. She was an active member of the Bethel United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School for many years, while serving on many committees. Fern also served Torrance County on many other levels. She served on election boards for school board, city council, primary and general elections, where in 1958 paper ballots were used. She served on the Torrance County Fair Board for two terms, and also as a Superintendent for many years. She entered many things in the Torrance County Fair each year and won many awards for her handiwork, baking, canning, and gardening. She also won many awards at the New Mexico State Fair for her talents. Fern received many awards over the years, with two of the most prestigious awards being when she received the Pioneer Award presented by the Commission on the Status of Women which was presented to her by then First Lady Alice King on September 18, 1993 and being inducted into the New Mexico 4-H Hall of Fame on December 4, 2003. Fern was preceded in death by her husband Bill on November 22, 1990, her parents, three brothers, one sister, one brother in law and one sister in law. She is survived by her children, Regena Hinze and husband Roy of Yakima, Washington, Shirley Davis and her husband “Tooter” of Moriarty, NM, Buddy Dunn and wife Pam of Moriarty, NM, and Linda Wells of Las Cruces, NM. Grandchildren include Scott Davis and wife April, Carla Collins and husband Steve, who are expecting her fourth great grandchild in April, Tami Wells, Kelsi Dunlap and husband Luther, and Kayla Dunn. Great-grandchildren include Tyler, Harry and Anna Davis. She is also survived by her brothers Glenn Williams of Edgewood, NM and Wilk L. Williams and wife Juanita of Farmington, NM and brother in law, Bob Dunn and wife Clara of Rogers, Arkansas and a special cousin, Grace Challis and husband Raymond of Clinton, Oklahoma, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends. Viewings will be Wednesday, December 13, 2006 from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM and Thursday, December 14, 2006 from 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM at Harris-Hanlon Mortuary Chapel in Moriarty, NM. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 1:00 PM at the Bethel United Methodist Church in Moriarty, NM. Reverend David Terry and Reverend Conway Wood will be officiating, with the American Legion Auxiliary Post 74 conducting a special memorial tribute. Casket bearers will be her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Honorary bearers will be the American Legion and Auxiliary Post 74 members and friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the New Mexico 4-H Foundation, % NMSU 4-H & Youth Development Office, Neale Hall – MSC 3AE, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, the Bethel United Methodist Church Worship Fund – P.O. Box 2429 Moriarty, New Mexico 87035, or the charity of your choice. Internment will be in the Barton Cemetery with Harris-Hanlon Mortuary of Moriarty in charge of the funeral arrangements. Harris-Hanlon Mortuary (505) 832-6130 “Our Family Serving Your Family” www.Harris-HanlonMortuary.com