Ferne Gladys Tilton, 89, of Center Sandwich, passed away at Dartmouth - Hitchcock Medical Center on Friday, February 7, 2014, with her family by her side after a brief illness.
Born on January 3, 1925, in Campbelltown, PA, she was the daughter of Herman and Sara K. (Zeiger) Mountz. Ferne was raised in Campbelltown and graduated from the Hershey High School. She furthered her education at Penn State University earning a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Nutrition.
Ferne had an active working career where she held several jobs throughout her life. Locally she was a Dietician for the Sandwich Central School and a manager for 15 years at Sandwich Home Industries. Ferne was very active in the greater Sandwich community and volunteered her time with several local organizations including: the Samuel Wentworth Library, Moultonborough Schools Library, Public Library, and the Moultonborough-Sandwich Senior Meals Program.
Ferne was a dedicated member of the Sandwich Historical Society, the Federated Church of Sandwich, the Mt. Israel Grange, the Ladies Aid, the Women's Club, and was an assistant Scout Leader with the Girl Scouts of America.
Ferne was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She treasured time spent with her family and friends and her independence, which she enjoyed until the end of her life. She loved baking and cooking, gardening, traveling, playing the piano and shopping. She will be dearly missed by her family and many friends throughout the area.
Ferne is predeceased by her parents, and husband, Howard F. Tilton, Sr., in 1996.
She is survived by her children, Anne Brown and her husband Randy, of C. Sandwich, Howard "Tom" F. Tilton, Jr. and his wife Becky, of Moultonborough, Gwen Randall and her husband Christopher, of Ashland; nine grandchildren, Stephanie, Amy, Aaron, Katie, Jason, Jeffrey, Jed, Julie, Justin; nine great-grandchildren, Emily, Coleman, Max, Molly, Simon, Carter, Ethan, Alden, Sarah; and extended family members in Pennsylvania.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ferne's memory may be made to the Federated Church of Sandwich, 12 Church St., Center Sandwich 03227, the Interlakes Community Caregivers, Inc., P.O. Box 78, Center Harbor, NH 03226 and the Lakes Region Visiting Nurse Association, 186 Waukewan St., Meredith, NH 03253.