Month: October 2014

Ralph F. “Ferns” Gilson
Ferns Gilson, 85, of DeKalb Junction, died on October 27, 2014 at Canton-Potsdam Hospital. Calling hours will be November 1, 12 – 2 PM, funeral service at 2 PM, Reverend Jerry Lambeth officiating. Burial will follow in Old DeKalb Cemetery. He is survived by his wife Viola C., a son Gary and his wife Bonnie Gilson of DeKalb Junction, daughters, Susazan Weller Williams of Russell, Carol and her husband Terry McKendree of DeKalb Junction, Lynn Hepfner of Salem, Ohio, a sister Elizabeth and her husband Kenneth Farr of Jackson, Mississippi, 14 grandchild, 4 step grandchildren, several great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister Helen Campbell. Ralph was born on May 4, 1929 in Ogdensburg, the son of Ralph and Henrietta Ferns Gilson. He married Viola Finley on December 30, 1949 at the Ogdensburg Pilgrim Holiness Church with Reverend Bernard Barton officiating. Ferns ran a family dairy farm for many years before owning and operating Gilson Logging with his son until his retirement in 2006 at age 77. He was a member of the Ogdensburg, Pilgrim Holiness Church, Morley Wesleyan Church, and most recently the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Harrisville. Ferns loved spending time with his family and friends. He enjoyed camping at church camps, hunting, going to dinner at camp and he would fondly remember fishing with his grandfather. Contributions can be made to the Harrisville Pilgrim Holiness Church and the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.