Fern M. Wadsworth, 88, Milan, passed away Sunday, May 29, 2022, at Cedarhurst, Moline.

Funeral service will be at 10:00 am on Friday, June 3, 2022, at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Milan.  Visitation will be 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday, June 2, 2022, at the funeral home.  Burial will be at Beulah Cemetery.  Memorials to the Milan Food Bank or to First Presbyterian Church, Milan.

Fern was born on August 28, 1933 in Rock Island, the daughter of Joseph and Magdalena (Bartels) Layer.  She married David W. Wadsworth on March 22, 1952 at Church of Peace, Rock Island.  Fern worked as a school bus driver for the Sherrard School District for 15 years.  Prior to being a bus driver she worked for: Bob Ericksen Chevrolet, Sears and Roebuck, and Bob Neil Ford.  Fern was a Deacon at 1st Presbyterian Church, Milan, where she also sang in the choir and helped with the food bank.  She was active in Rural Youth.  Fern loved being a farm wife, where she was able to do gardening and canning, her favorite flowers were African violets.  She enjoyed going camping and square dancing.  Most of all she loved spending time with her family and best friend, Penny, her dog.

Fern is survived by children, Teresa (Michael) Brown, Taylor Ridge, Gregory (Betty) Wadsworth, Silvis, Kathy (Tom) May, Grayslake, and Debbie (Scott) Leatherman, Mundelein; 13 grandchildren; and 12 great grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her husband, David Wadsworth; parents; sons, Ronald and Larry Wadsworth; brother, Joe Layer; and sisters, Dorothy Layer, Margaret Jahn, and Edna Pekrul.

Fern's family would like to give a special thank you to Cris and Joe Arnold and Craig and Sharon Schultz for all their help, friendship, and comfort given to Fern over the years.