Ethel Fern Walker Holmes

Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend Fern Walker Holmes, 86, passed away at her home on August 17, 2012, due to complications of congestive heart disease and renal failure. In mother's final hours, she was surrounded by immediate family members who offered her love and support. Fern Walker Holmes was born July 22, 1926, in Honeyville, Utah, to Heber Lorin Walker and Ethel Wheatley. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Ellen Burnett Wheatley and Nola Mae Hunsaker Walker; brothers, Ray Heber Walker and William Walker who died at birth; and by her eternal companion, Lloyd Ivan Holmes. Fern's earliest years were spent on the family dairy farm where she learned to work hard at many of the farm tasks with her other brothers and sisters. She attended Box Elder High School and graduated in 1944. Soon thereafter, she married her high school sweetheart, Lloyd I. Holmes, while he was on a Navy furlough during WWII. She was married in the Logan Temple on December 15, 1944, and has been a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all of her life. She served in leadership positions in the Primary, Young Women's and Relief Society and was a dedicated visiting teacher. She and Lloyd provided love and support to all of their grandchildren who served missions for the church, and assisted many others in their ward and community. She served as a nurse's assistant during WWII at the Brigham Bushnell Hospital. In subsequent years, she worked in the Fairfax County, Virginia, school lunch program. But her greatest delight was serving her family as a homemaker. She was also a wonderful supporter of Lloyd as he completed his higher education in Agricultural Economics at Utah State University. She and Lloyd enjoyed seeing the world both as tourists and as foreign diplomats to several countries in South and Central America. She greatly missed her family while serving overseas and relished the many visits back to the states visiting her mother, brothers, sisters, as well as her own children and their families. Fern loved to tend a small vegetable garden in her yard and often shared her produce. She enjoyed watching her flowers grow and cared for them meticulously. She was always busy embroidering or crocheting pillow cases and dish cloths. She embroidered and crocheted pillow cases for each of her great grand-daughters for their trousseaus, and shared her sewing talents with many others. She recently received two blue ribbons at the Cache County Fair for her embroidery and crocheting talents. Fern was a friend to all and lovingly adopted many of the children in her neighborhood as honorary grandchildren. Her kindness and concern for others, her love and appreciation of all, and her tender, non-judgmental ways made her a special person in the lives of friends and family. She is survived by her three children, Dallas Lloyd Holmes LeAnn of Logan, Utah; Sandra Lou Holmes Walsh Robert of North Salt Lake, Utah; and Connie Jean Holmes Webb Douglas of Sandy, Utah; 12 grandchildren and spouses; and 22 great-grandchildren; her three brothers Don Carlos Walker LeAnna, Thomas Wheatley Walker Marilyn, and LeWayne Walker Grace. The family wishes to express appreciation to Dr. Robert Nash and his staff at the Budge Clinic for their courteous and tender care provided to our mother. A viewing will be held on Thursday, August 23, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Nelson's Funeral Home, 162 East 400 North, Logan. Funeral services will be Friday, August 24th, at 11:00 a.m. at Hillcrest 1st Ward, 875 North 1500 East in Logan. A viewing will be held at the church from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be at Honeyville Cemetery in Box Elder County. Condolences may be extended to the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com .