Ferne B. (Gohn) Raub

YORK- Ferne Berle (Gohn) Raub, 90, of Red Lion, went to Heaven on January 20, 2015. She was the wife of the late Mahlon D. Raub, who died January 5, 1993. A Celebration of Life tribute service will be held at 11 AM on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at Life Tributes by Olewiler & Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., 35 Gotham Place, Red Lion, with her Pastor, Timothy Funk, officiating. A viewing will be held from 9-11 AM prior to the service. Burial will be in St. Luke’s Lutheran Cemetery. Ferne was born on February 16, 1924, in Chanceford Township and was the daughter of the late Elmer and Katie (Sprenkle) Gohn. She was the loving mother of a son Michael of Columbia MO and a daughter Kay Marie Herrick (David) of Red Lion; two grandchildren Matthew and Katie Herrick; six great grandchildren, Emily, Logan, Collin, and Madelyn Herrick, and Marlena and Isaac Howard, and two great great grandchildren, Alyce Ann and Cole; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was preceded in death by two brothers Earnest and Freemand Gohn and four sisters Helen Gohn, Gladys (Gohn) Eberle, Betress Gohn, and June (Gohn) Craley. Ferne was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Red Lion and a member of The Eastern Star Rainbow Chapter 517 of Red Lion. Her early education took place at the Conrads one-room school house in New Bridgeville followed by high school in Red Lion, having graduated in 1943. During her years in high school she was very fortunate to be working after school in Thompson's Dress Shop in Red Lion. She could wear high heels, gloves, and a fashionable hat to work. Ferne attended St Luke's Church in New Bridgeville. The summer picnic is still held the first Thursday of August and that is where she met her future husband Mahlon Raub. For many years Ferne and Mahlon operated Raub's AG Store. She took great delight in helping the local children select penny candy from the candy case. Ferne spent a great deal of time tending store, stocking shelves, and delivering grocery orders to customers' homes. She was famous for her three-for-a-dollar submarine sandwiches as well as her Shoo-fly and Montgomery pies which were made to order and available every Saturday morning. After 30 years in the grocery business they closed the store and Ferne took a job at Auto Kraft Box from which she retired in 1989 after 18 years of service. Ferne took great pleasure in helping to care for her grandchildren and great grandchildren, teaching them as much as she could and instilling manners to last their lifetime. They will always fondly remember their 'Mammy'. Ferne participated in the AARP tutoring program in the Red Lion Elementary School District. She was a reading tutor at Mazie Gable in Red Lion. This experience raised her awareness of just how important our children are to the future. Children were always the most important thing in her life. For the last five years Ferne had been living at Broadmore Senior Living in York. She made loads of new friends there and enjoyed social activities. Recently, York College students started to visit the facility bringing with them special activities for resident participation. Ferne never missed a 'class'. She loved those kids and they loved her back. She enjoyed the student comments when they would ask her for an oral history of her life. In 2013 'the college kids' participated in the first Broadmore Senior Prom and elected Ferne Prom Queen. This was a highlight in her life! Ferne will be missed by her family. She will also be missed by her wide circle of friends, as well as neighbors and care-givers at The Broadmore. Thank you to those who cared for Ferne at The Broadmmore and the sweet nurses on the third floor of the York Hospital and Rest Haven. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Red Lion Area Community Center, 15 First Avenue, Red Lion, PA 17356.