Ferne M. Lawson

 Ferne M. Lawson, 102, of Fairfield, passed away Friday, August 16, 2024 at Sunrise Terrace in Winfield.

 Visitation for family and friends will be held 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield. Funeral services celebrating her life will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 21st at Behner Funeral Home with Rev. Al Coffin officiating. Burial will be at Columbus City Cemetery in Columbus City, Iowa. Memorials may be made to the family or an organization of the donor’s choice. 

 Ferne was born October 22, 1921 in Iowa City, the daughter of Gay T. and Allie L. (George) Berkshire. Her education began in Cotter, Iowa and later in Crawfordsville. At the age of eleven, her family moved to a farm in Jefferson County and she attended Liberty No. 7 school. Ferne then attended Birmingham High School, riding her horse four miles one way for two years, before transferring to Fairfield High School where she graduated in 1939. This was the only class to graduate from around the square. 

 Ferne worked as a bookkeeper at Fairfield Laundry & Cleaners and later for the Jefferson County Auditor’s office. In 1959, Ferne was approached to develop a new department at the Jefferson County Hospital. After seven weeks of training at Ottumwa Hospital medical records department, she began to organize and develop a medical records department for Jefferson County Hospital, where she was the director of that department for 28 years. Ferne completed a correspondence course and in 1964 became an accredited record technician. She retired in December 1988. 

 Ferne was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Fairfield, the Jefferson County Hospital Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary, and the Heritage Club. She was a member of the Fairfield Business and Professional Women for over 56 years until they disbanded due to lack of membership. Ferne held an amateur radio license. She was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, and watched the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones. Ferne loved to read and enjoyed traveling in her retirement. She also collected cardinal (bird) ornaments. 

 Those left to honor her memory include her son and daughter-in-law, Gayle and Vallentina Lawson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa as well as many cousins. 

 She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins.