Fern M. Zutz

Fern Zutz, 89, Golden Living Center, Moorhead, died there on Friday, December 12, 2008.Fern was born on April 9, 1919 to Gustave and Maude Noon Bartholomay and grew up on a farm in Sheldon, ND with enough brothers and sisters to field a baseball team at any given time. She graduated from high school in 1937 and moved to Detroit Lakes where she worked at a candy and drugstore. There she met and married Harold Gaass and became mother to his daughter Carol Jean. They also had two daughters, Janet and Sharla, before he became ill. Harold died in 1945. Fern lived with Harold's family in Crookston, MN and worked at the Sweet Shoppe. It was there she met Willard Zutz and married him in Red Lake Falls in 1948. Fern and Willard had two sons, Marvin and Daniel. Fern and Willard lived in Red Lake Falls until 1960 when they moved to Moorhead. Fern was very active with the Ladies Aide at St John's in Red Lake Falls, MN and at Our Redeemer in Moorhead, MN. She enjoyed playing bridge and many volunteer activities. Fern was an excellent cook and collector of many recipes and recipe books. She loved to crochet, knit, play bridge, golf, and garden. Fern was not shy about taking on a new challenge. She was quite good at ceramics and finished at least two complete nativity sets. Fern enjoyed furniture refinishing and was an excellent seamstress. She was active with Hillcrest Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary. Fern and Willard loved sports of all kinds. They were active with the hockey program in Red Lake Falls and founding members of the Moorhead, MN Blue Line Club. Fern loved watching sporting events of her children, grandchildren, and college or professional teams. Fern enjoyed working as a secretary at the North Dakota Automobile Club and food service at Concordia College. Fern was proud of her German ancestry and enjoyed the many Bartholomay reunions and get-togethers. While living in Moorhead, Fern and Willard developed a love of the lakes. They spent twenty-five years at Turtle Lake entertaining family and friends. Fern loved watching a lively game of volleyball and learned to water ski at an older age than most skiers. She was very proud of teaching herself to swim and did it daily at the lake. Fern spent the next five years at Leaf Lake where Willard died in 1992. Fern moved to Maple Lake for a few years while she continued to travel to Mesa, AZ for the winters. Fern spent many fun years golfing, playing bridge, volunteering, and socializing with the "snow birds". Fern lived in Red Lake Falls, MN with Marvin's family until she moved to the Golden Living Center in Moorhead where she could be near her son Dan. There was hardly a day that went by without Fern saying she wanted to go home to Arizona. She loved that weather. Fern enjoyed the activities of the Center and the people who worked there. She missed her daughters who live far away but enjoyed many telephone conversations and visits from them. Fern is greatly missed by daughters Carol Jean and husband Bert Valley of Bella Vista, Arkansas, Janet and husband Jack Engan of Wasilla, AK, Sharla Foulkes of Mesa, Arizona; sons Marvin and wife JoAnn Zutz of Red Lake Falls, MN and Daniel and wife LaRae Zutz of Fargo, ND. Fern's Grandchildren Mark and wife Candice Engan, Sara jo Engan, Lisa Foulkes and special friend Todd Zeller, Elizabeth Foulkes and special friend Jason Marcks, Al, Steve, and Lee Zutz, Chad Lusty, and Shannon and husband Cory Rademacher. Great-grandchildren include Megan Foulkes, Amanda, Ashley, and Alex Engan, Leif and Corey Lusty, and Beau Rademacher. Other survivors include brothers: John Bartholomay and special friend Mary Ann Ohman of Fargo, ND; Duane Muriel of Detroit Lakes, MN; Gordon Bartholomay of Lake Park, MN and sister: Laverne Sullivan of Tucker, GA.Preceded by: Husband Harold Gaass, husband Willard Zutz, Infant son 1941; Brothers: Ervin, Richard, Meril, Kenneth Bud, Virgil, Norman, Leo Bartholomay, and Sisters: Eleanor Wilson, Elsie French; Son-in-law Freddy Foulkes, Infant grandson Engan 1975.