Fern
Fern Marie (Burns) Schwartz
11/30/1931 – 2/20/2020
Fern Marie (Burns) Schwartz passed away on February 20, 2020, at the age of 88. She was born November 30, 1931, in Vinita, Oklahoma. She graduated from Vinita High School and attended Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Fern had the most perfect beautiful handwriting. Her Chalk and Blackboard teacher had Fern write alphabets and create learning blackboards. Penmanship was a required subject. She received good grades and sang solos in high school. Fern loved to hear good jokes.
Fern worked as a PBX Operator for the Bell Telephone in Vinita. She met Arthur G. Schwartz and converted to Catholicism. Fern married, Arthur G. Schwartz on April 21, 1951. In January of 1963, the family moved from Oklahoma to Glendale, Arizona.
Fern worked as the Receptionist for the Diocese of Phoenix, at Data Call, and as a Information Specialist at Community Information and Referral Service.
Fern was a fantastic cook and made the best apple dumplings, peach or banana fritters and cobblers. She was artistic and designed delicious cakes and made many ceramic, wooden and knitted items at Arizona Center for the Blind.
Fern volunteered her time working tirelessly collecting donations from companies, restaurants, florists, etc. obtaining donations, gift cards, event tickets, souvenir items, products, services, etc. fundraising monies for the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She won a prestigious award for her volunteer charity work which was an amazing feat because she was blind.
Preceding her in death are her husband, Arthur Schwartz, her parents, Arley and Elva (Cox) Burns, sisters, Lola Mae (Burns) Kinkade and Melba Jean (Burns) Spain.
She is survived by her 11 children – Gregory Schwartz, Timothy Schwartz, Martha Fait, Stephen Schwartz, Nicholas Schwartz, David Schwartz, Julia Rohde, Cynthia Schwartz, Rebecca Plescia, Philip Schwartz and Donald Schwartz; a sister – Carolyn (Burns) Womack of Tulsa, Oklahoma; two aunts – Geneva (Burns) Ervin of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Violet Burns of Westminster, Colorado; 11 Grandchildren – Justin Schwartz, Jason (Grace) Fait, Jeremy Fait, Joshua (Courtney) Fait, Jacob Fait, Elea Dockery, Ben Schwartz, Alexander Rohde, Jessica Rohde, Anthony Plescia, and Nicolette Plescia. One step great grandchild and six (6) great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Visitation will be held at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 East Indian School Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85018 on Thursday, March 5, 2020 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. with the Rosary Prayer at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sts. Simon and Jude Cathedral, 6351 North 27th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85017 on Friday, March 6, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. Interment at St. Francis Cemetery, 2033 North 48th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85018
Fern Marie (Burns) Schwartz passed away on February 20, 2020, at the age of 88. She was born November 30, 1931, in Vinita, Oklahoma. She graduated from Vinita High School and attended Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Fern had the most perfect beautiful handwriting. Her Chalk and Blackboard teacher had Fern write alphabets and create learning blackboards. Penmanship was a required subject. She received good grades and sang solos in high school. Fern loved to hear good jokes.
Fern worked as a PBX Operator for the Bell Telephone in Vinita. She met Arthur G. Schwartz and converted to Catholicism. Fern married, Arthur G. Schwartz on April 21, 1951. In January of 1963, the family moved from Oklahoma to Glendale, Arizona.
Fern worked as the Receptionist for the Diocese of Phoenix, at Data Call, and as a Information Specialist at Community Information and Referral Service.
Fern was a fantastic cook and made the best apple dumplings, peach or banana fritters and cobblers. She was artistic and designed delicious cakes and made many ceramic, wooden and knitted items at Arizona Center for the Blind.
Fern volunteered her time working tirelessly collecting donations from companies, restaurants, florists, etc. obtaining donations, gift cards, event tickets, souvenir items, products, services, etc. fundraising monies for the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She won a prestigious award for her volunteer charity work which was an amazing feat because she was blind.
Preceding her in death are her husband, Arthur Schwartz, her parents, Arley and Elva (Cox) Burns, sisters, Lola Mae (Burns) Kinkade and Melba Jean (Burns) Spain.
She is survived by her 11 children – Gregory Schwartz, Timothy Schwartz, Martha Fait, Stephen Schwartz, Nicholas Schwartz, David Schwartz, Julia Rohde, Cynthia Schwartz, Rebecca Plescia, Philip Schwartz and Donald Schwartz; a sister – Carolyn (Burns) Womack of Tulsa, Oklahoma; two aunts – Geneva (Burns) Ervin of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Violet Burns of Westminster, Colorado; 11 Grandchildren – Justin Schwartz, Jason (Grace) Fait, Jeremy Fait, Joshua (Courtney) Fait, Jacob Fait, Elea Dockery, Ben Schwartz, Alexander Rohde, Jessica Rohde, Anthony Plescia, and Nicolette Plescia. One step great grandchild and six (6) great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Visitation will be held at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 East Indian School Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85018 on Thursday, March 5, 2020 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. with the Rosary Prayer at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sts. Simon and Jude Cathedral, 6351 North 27th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85017 on Friday, March 6, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. Interment at St. Francis Cemetery, 2033 North 48th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85018
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