Fern Rosella Silver Benson
Jan. 2, 1928 – May 4, 2022
Fern Rosella Silver Ben-
son was born in Crooks-
ton, MN on January 2,
1928. She died Wednes-
day May 4, 2022 at the
Heart of America Medical
Center in Rugby at the age
of 94. Fern was the young-
est of 5 children born to
Annie (Pehrson) and An-
drew Silver. She is pre-
ceded in death by her
brothers Harry, Albert,
Victor and her sister
Geneva. Fern lived in
Shelley, MN until the age
of 14. After the death of
her father, Fern and her
mother moved to Min-
neapolis.
As a young woman in
Minneapolis, Fern com-
pleted a correspondence
course to graduate from
high school. She had a
variety of jobs including
working as a nanny for
the Pillsbury family in
their mansion on Lake
Minnetonka. Fern fondly
recalled being allowed to
use the library and to play
the piano in the conserva-
tory. Fern had a love of
fashion and also worked
for a time at Sears Roe-
buck in the Women’s
Clothing Department.
Fern’s favorite job was
working at the Federal
Reserve in downtown
Minneapolis.
Fern met her husband
Lawrence in Minneapolis
where they married in
1950. In 1951, Lawrence
and Fern moved to North
Dakota and farmed near
Fillmore. Lawrence and
Fern were married for 67
years. Lawrence preceded
Fern in death in 2017.
Fern and Lawrence did
not have children of their
own, but were loving
secondparentsto
nephewsandnieces,
Leslie, Brain, Kathy, Mar-
gie, Leroy and Dean Ben-
son.
Fern had a lifelong love
of painting and music.
She played the piano and,
in her words, reluctantly
played the church organ
in Fillmore for many
years. Fern’s artwork
hangs in the homes of
many of her family and
friends.
Fern is survived by her
brother & sisters-in-law,
Ken and Jean Benson, Tal
& Vi Rice, as well as many
lovingniecesand nephews.
Her family would like to
thank the wonderful com-
munity of friends & neigh-
bors who have cared for
Fern for the last several
years, especially Harriet
and Allan Kreklau of Rug-
by.
Memorial Services will
be held at 11:00 a.m. Sa-
turday, June 4th at Ander-
son Funeral Home Chapel
in Rugby with burial in
thePersillaWatts
Cemetery, Rugby. Pastor
Gary Dorn, officiating
Arrangements with the
Anderson Funeral Home
of Rugby. Online registry:
www.funeralsbyanderson.com.