Ada Fern (Walker) Ashbaugh Duke, 93, passed away peacefully at her home on September 17, 2018. She was born August 7, 1925 in a country home near Cleghorn, Iowa to Roger and Irene (Warren) Walker. Fern was forever grateful to her grandmother who came to live with her family at her age of 10. She was instrumental in molding her as she was growing up along with many aunts and uncles. She attended school in Meriden, Iowa, graduating in 1943. Following graduation she attended McKennan School of Nursing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and continued in Aberdeen for another six months. She was blessed with four children; Merriellen, Dan, Carolyn “Ging”, and Roger. Fern lived in several states and in 1959 began working at the Mental Health Institute in Cherokee, Iowa. She moved to Denver in 1970 to pursue a new position at Children’s Hospital, where she worked for twenty years and continued in nursing until just prior to her 83rd birthday. To many, she was known as “Granny”, a role she took seriously. In 1976 she opened her home to her step-grandsons, Mark, Brian, Alan and Danny after their mother was tragically killed in an automobile accident. She married Robert “Bob” Duke in 1984. They enjoyed many motorcycle trips together along with their motorcycle group. Bob passed away on 1988. In 1972 Fern purchased her home in Arvada, Colorado where she resided until her passing, a home where everyone was welcomed with open arms. Fern was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, her husband, Robert “Bob” Duke, brothers, Earl (Mary & Dorothy) Walker and Harold Walker, and her son-in-law, Michael Bedosky. She is survived by her children, Merriellen Bedosky, Dan Ashbaugh, “Ging” Carolyn (Chuck) Kreiner, and Roger (Julie) Ashbaugh, her brother Charles (Jude) Walker, sister-in-law, Lois Walker, her grandchildren; Chris Ashbaugh, Emily Ashbaugh, her great-grandchildren; Winter and Sirius, her step-grandsons; Mark, Brian, Alan, and Danny Irvin and their families, many nieces, nephews, step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren and also her church and motorcycle families.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held for Fern on November 8, 2018 at 10:30am, Arvada Presbyterian Church, 5592 Independence Street, Arvada. 80002. A reception will follow in the Church Fellowship Hall.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18