Fern Amy Nice

January 17, 1935 – January 9, 2019

Fern Amy Roth Nice died on January 9, 2019 surrounded by family.

She was the last of ten children born to Amos and Sarah Stalter Roth of Woodburn, Oregon on January 17, 1935.

She attended Union Grade School in Woodburn. This was a one room school with all eight grades. She walked one mile to school and from school. She recalls that during the wartime, some children brought small jars of soup and placed them on the floor register to heat until lunch time. She attended Western Mennonite School of Salem, Oregon and graduated from high school there in 1953.

She accepted Christ as her Savior at age 12 and was baptized in the Zion Mennonite Church of Hubbard, Oregon. There, she sang in the choir and acquired many lifelong friends. She was always grateful to grow up in such a loving and caring community.

She married Robert Nice from Cheraw, Colorado on December 19, 1953 at Zion Mennonite Church. Fern and Robert spent the first two years of marriage living in the Portland area, where they both worked at the Good Samaritan Hospital with a starting wage of .85 cents per hour.

After many other moves, she and Robert made their home in Albany and raised their four daughters there. She worked as bookkeeper at their business, Techno Lectric for 13 years.

She was a charter member of the Bethany Mennonite Church which later joined Albany Mennonite Church. During those years she taught Sunday school, Daily Vacation Bible School, led songs, and was chairperson for a women's sewing group for a number of years.

Her family was the greatest pleasure of her life. They had many good times traveling together on various trips and working together. Fern's hobbies were gardening, quilting, singing hymns, and painting Bob's carved birds. At family gatherings, her dinner rolls were there to be enjoyed by all.

Fern is survived by husband, Robert Nice; daughters, Linda and husband Robert Dibble of Albany, Julia and husband, Greig Todd of Lebanon, Oregon, Kendra and husband Roger Schlabach of Turner, Oregon; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Amos and Sarah Roth; two brothers, Oliver Roth, and Jasper Roth; sisters, Florence Roth and Frances Bond; two infant brothers; one infant sister; and daughter, Carmen Nice.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Western Christian School or to Mennonite Women's Department at Albany Mennonite Church in care of Fisher Funeral Home, P.O. Box 156, Albany, OR, 97321.

There will be a visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 17 at Fisher Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held in her honor at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 19 at the Albany Mennonite Church.

Condolences for the family may be left online at www.fisherfuneralhome.com.