She was born on Jan. 23, 1914 in Wisconsin Rapids to the late Christian and Julia (nee Hess) Resch, and in 1915 her family settled on a farm in the town of Wayne.

She moved to West Bend in 1928 and attended West Bend High School before working at Amity Leather Products Co.

On Nov. 14, 1936 she married George Hembel at Zion Lutheran Church in the town of Wayne.

She was a homemaker and raised two sons, Kenneth and Alan.

Fern was active in the Republican Party at the local, state and national levels. She served as the 5th District supervisor on the Washington County board for over 31 years and served on numerous committees on the county broad.

She was honored to have been the first woman ever elected to a position on that board.

Survivors include two sons, Kenneth (Florence) of Slidell, La. and Alan (Carol Gannon-Hembel) of Middleton; two grandchildren, Bryan and Sara Hembel; a brother, Leo Resch; and other relatives and friends.

Preceding her in death were her husband, George in 1989; a son, Lloyd in 1952; a daughter-in-law, Carmen in 1985; two granddaughters, Christine Julia in 1975 and Jennie Carmen in 1979, and her sister, Grace Resch in 2000.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 1 p.m. at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church in West Bend.

Rev. George Mumm will officiate, and burial will follow in Washington County Memorial Park, West Bend.

Visitation at the church only will be on Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 12:45 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. John’s Guild are appreciated.

The Schmidt Funeral Home, West Bend, is serving the family.