FERN LOUISE FUDE

On April 14th, 1935, 20 of the worst “Black Blizzards” swept through the Dust Bowl after years of harsh drought, and our mom, Fern Louise (Munday) Fude, was welcomed into the world as the first and only child of Glen and Ruth (Kessler) Munday in Creston, Iowa. At only 6 months old, her family moved to Arkansas and opened the Wide-A-Wake Cafe where she lived until World War II broke out. They moved to Davenport, IA where her dad produced parts for the war effort. She married Jim Beach in 1952, just weeks before she turned 17. Her oldest daughter, Theresa (Don) DeVore, now lost to cancer, was born the same year. Her oldest son Mike would soon follow, then her son Keith and the last to Jim was a daughter Janet in 1960. After 20 years they divorced, and she married Jack Fude in 1973. They had two boys together, Jay and Joe Fude. With Jack and the boys, she lived in Iowa, Florida, Kentucky, North Dakota and Illinois until Jack’s death in 2012. She continued to live on her own in Illinois until 2017 but spent her final year in her own apartment at the home of her youngest son, Joe.

                Mom was devoted to prayer and bible study. She loved to keep her mind active with puzzles and crosswords. She lived simply and longed for nothing. She was healthy, darn funny, and had a lead foot behind the wheel of her seemingly driverless Mercury. She crocheted but never took to knitting, she taught the grandkids cribbage and they taught her their own card games. She collected frogs of every shape and size. Her passing was a surprise, and although she will be missed, we know she loved us and will continue to shower us with prayers from the last home she will ever have. She died peacefully in her sleep on April 6th, 2018, just a week before her 83rd birthday.

                She is survived by son-in-law Don DeVore of Davenport, IA, Keith and Barb Beach of Johnston, IA, near Des Moines, Mike and Beverly Beach of Rincon, GA, near Savanah, Dennis and Janet (Beach) Davis of Normal, IL, near Bloomington, Jay Fude of Gladstone, MO, near Kansas City, Joe and Chrystal Fude of Worley, ID, near Coeur d’Alene and stepson Dennis Fude and his wife Donna of Green City, MO, which isn’t near anything.

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