FERNE ROSE NICOLAISEN, 90, of Cherokee, Iowa passed away on Saturday evening, April 1st in Cherokee Regional Medical Center after an unexpected illness.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 5th, at 11 a.m. the Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Jon Riggert will officiate. Burial will be in the Holstein Cemetery. There will be a family prayer service at 10:45 a.m. at the Church on Wednesday.
Visitation will be on Tuesday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.at the Boothby Funeral Home with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. On line condolences may be sent to www.boothbyfuneral.com

Ferne was born on April 11, 1926 in Griggs Township, Ida County, IA to Lilly (Kuhlman) and Elmer Goettsch from Holstein, IA. She graduated from Galva schools in 1944. She attended business college in Omaha, NE before working as a secretary in Sioux City, IA shortly before her marriage.

She married Vernie Nicolaisen of rural Washta, IA on November 10, 1945 at Galva, Iowa. They spent the majority of their married life on a farm near Cherokee, IA. They retired to Cherokee in 1983 where Ferne enjoyed taking part in Trinity Lutheran Church's ladies aid and the Cherokee Garden Club.

Ferne was amazingly creative. She loved to create patterns whether it be crochet, knitting or quilting. She was featured at the Sanford Museum as an artist for her creation of a highly intricate afghan with embroidery. She was also published in several magazines for her patterns, she was highlighted as an author in a book of poems. She was honored with recognition on a local television news for an outstanding recipe of her own design. She was an avid gardener
with a special love for flowers.

She was highly supportive of the Cherokee County Fair where she entered her creations every year in the Family Crafts building since 1959. She was introduced to the fair when she was a 4-H leader and then later participated in management of the Family Crafts building.


She was preceded in death by her parents, 2 sisters, Mildred Leonard and Loretta "Etta" Freese, 2 brothers Murlen and Lloyd Goettsch, 2 infant twins, Galen and Galene Nicolaisen, and 3 grandchildren, Jason Nicolaisen, Justin Nicolaisen and Corey Nicolaisen.

Ferne is survived by her husband of 71 years, Vernie, and their five children: Steve (Linda) Nicolaisen of Correctionville, Larry (Cathy) Nicolaisen of Cherokee, Jane (Robert) Boothby of Marcus, Patricia (Joseph) Glassmaker of Marcus and Lisa (Dolan) Grashoff of Aurelia.
Grandchildren include Tracy (Joel) Lohry of Dakota Dunes, SD, Aaron Nicolaisen of Correctionville, IA, Tonya (Brian) Carstens of Cushing, IA, Olivia Nicolaisen with significant other Sonny Sird of Washta, Iowa, Krista Nicolaisen with significant other Peter Cosgrove of Quimby, Iowa, Manda Boothby of Sioux City, IA, Mindy (Garth) Thomas of Lakeville, MN, Michael (Rachel) Boothby of Ireton, IA, Jennifer (Troy) Cooke of Sioux City, IA, Anthony (Bobbie Jo) Glassmaker of Sheldon, IA, Andrew Glassmaker with significant other Samantha Pellerin of Marcus, IA. She is also survived by 20 great grandchildren.