Ferne Louise Wenckus, age 84, of Belle Fourche, died Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital surrounded by her family.

The funeral service will be held 10:30 am Tuesday at the United Methodist Church in Belle Fourche with Rev. Gail Arnold officiating. Visitation will be held 5 to 7pm Monday at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche, and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held in Pine Slope Cemetery, in Belle Fourche.

Ferne Louise Enloe was born November 13, 1923 in Griffin, North Dakota. Ferne grew up on a family farm near Rhame, ND and graduated from the Bowman High School. Following her graduation she taught school at a country school in Ludlow, SD. Ferne attended college in Tacoma, WA and later at Black Hills State University in Spearfish. She was married to Walter Wenckus on April 28, 1946 in San Francisco, CA. To this union, three children were born: Faye, Karen, and Mark. Following their marriage, Ferne and Walter lived in San Francisco and later in Spearfish. In 1960 they settled in Belle Fourche, where Ferne established the Office Emporium. For 34 years, Ferne owned and operated the Office Emporium, retiring in 1994.

Ferne was proud to have been the first woman member of the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce and to also have been chosen Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women's Club. On February 12, 1997 Mayor Donald Keil issued the Ferne Wenckus Day Proclamation in Belle Fourche. She was an active member of the United Methodist Church where her greatest love was for the church's mission work. She enjoyed gardening, canning, and she loved music. She had the ability to play piano by ear and she enjoyed playing at several school dances.

God used Ferne to bless many people in her life, especially her family. She loved her grandchildren very much and will be remembered for being "Grandma Fun" to all of them. She will be greatly missed by her family and always remembered.

Ferne is survived by her daughters, Faye (Curtis) Corkin of Richardson, TX, Karen (Ford) Hall of Coffeyville, KS; son, Mark (Billie Jo) Wenckus of Stewartstown, PA; brother, Willis (Margaret) Enloe of St. Paul, MN; sisters, Arlene Herber and Wilma Gabrielson both of Rapid City; 8 grandchildren: Lindsay, Ford III, Ashley, Jonathan, and Mark Hall, William, Kimmie Jo, and Bailee Jo Wenckus; and 11 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Florence Buckley.

Memorials are preferred to the United Methodist Church.