SOUTH WHITLEY – Fern E. Wood, 99, Warsaw, died at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, at Miller’s Merry Manor where she had been a resident since June.
She was born March 13, 1918, in Kosciusko County, a daughter of Charles and Mary Freed Montel.
Her formative years were spent in the Silver Lake area where she attended Maple Grove School and graduated from Silver Lake High School.
On Nov. 27, 1937, she was united in marriage to Richard P. Wood. They made their home in South Whitley until 1984 when they moved to Warsaw. He died Jan. 10, 1998.
She was employed at South Whitley Post Office from 1969 until 1979. She was a member of Calvary Temple, Fort Wayne.
Fern is survived by three children: Gail (Nancy) Wood, Lafayette; Deborah (Larry) Meinika, South Whitley; and Kristine Keener, Warsaw; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandson; and a daughter-in-law, Judy Wood, Fort Wayne.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Gary Wood; a grandson; a great-granddaughter; a brother, DeVerl Montel, and two sisters, Lucile Jenkins and Ruby Sponhauer.
The funeral service will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Smith & Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley, with visitation from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in South Whitley Cemetery.
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Preferred memorials are to Riley Children’s Hospital.
Online condolences may be sent to www.smithandsonsfuneralhome.com.
