Memories of Ferne Louise McGrath

In memory of

Ferne Louise McGrath

Quakertown, PA, USA

February 23, 1957 - December 3, 2020

Feb 23, 1957 - Dec 3, 2020

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Bob Lambert

I met Ferne around 1988/1989. I was working as a police dispatcher in Bucks County’s Radio Room for about a year at the time and was helping out as a trainer for new dispatchers. Ferne was the first trainee I ever had. In casual conversation with her I learned she had lost her job at Mack Trucks in Allentown when their plant shutdown and that’s what brought her to the Radio Room. I told her my father had been a truck driver for most of his life and drove a Mack and that I also had family that lived in the Allentown area so I was familiar with it and we joked about the Pennsylvania Dutch accent folks there have. We talked some more and I learned she grew up in Promisedland in the Pocono mountains of PA. That was another thing we had in common. I also had family in that area; my aunt and uncle used to own/run the Crossroads restaurant in Canadensis and they and my cousins were still living there at that time. The family and I used to go there a few times a year to visit and have holidays and that. So there was a family type feeling between Ferne and I from the start. Ferne had no background in law enforcement and wasn’t all that familiar with how things worked in the room which led to some funny experiences. Being that she was my very first trainee, it was a learning experience for both of us. Lots of laughs, embarrassments, frustrations, but overall fun times. Ferne made it out of training and we usually worked the “upper pod” on the midnight shift together with her on zone 7/10, Bob “the dispatch legend” McNally #387 on zone 6/11, Carol Eisenhard #385 on zone 9 or Data, Renee Hurst on Data depending on her schedule in Chalfont PD and me bouncing around on all of them but in the beginning mostly on zone 5.

One night at work I told Ferne my father had decided to retire and move south to Georgia. I was still living with him at home and wasn’t interested in leaving, I was thinking of making a career out of working in the Radio Room. I told her I would be looking for a place to live and she said she and her husband had been thinking about renting out a room in their home and wanted to know if I’d be interested in living with them. Shortly there after I moved in and life as Ferne and Joe’s adopted son began.

I lived with Ferne and Joe for many years and through some good and bad times. Met some interesting people; Jimmy and Vickie, Phy and the boys, Ferne’s Canadian family, Bonnie & Suzie and family. I learned that when driving in Canada to use the little numbers on the inside of the speedometer! I loved how Ferne’s house turned into a Christmas wonderland during the season with all her decorations and that “The Contessa’s” birthday was actually a month’s long celebration. I learned how to cook out of necessity, Ferne designed a daily rotation for the three of us to share in the chore. Joe’s meal were always the best, Ferne always did something with ... chicken. Found out I didn’t like barky little cocker spaniels but old Sheepdogs were cool.

After Ferne and Joe’s divorce I stayed on living with her. It was kinda like my parents splitting up all over again, but they handled it much better and remained friends. There were some rough times but she managed as best she could. She took in another housemate for a while (I didn’t like her and don’t remember her name), had an old friend from NYC named Roy come and visit a few times, what a character! I remember teasing her about always having an appointment somewhere with one of her “staff of physicians”, seemed like she was always going to the doctor for one reason or another. When she was ready she started dating again. I remember her calling me at home one time while she was out on a blind date and the guy was creeping her out. She asked if it would be rude if she didn’t return to the table to say goodbye to him because she really wasn’t interested and I was like “Heck no, come home now!”. She laughed, said ok, left and drove home. Eventually she found Randy and they hit it off. He moved in and after a while it was time for me to move out.

At some point Ferne had moved to working day shifts and then left the Communications Dept all together and started working for the County’s Purchasing Dept I think it was. I didn’t really see her much after that. In 2009 I retired from the County and moved south to Georgia to be near my father again. Ferne and I kept in touch every now and then via facebook, and exchanging Christmas and birthday cards. I wasn’t aware she had gotten cancer, she never said. Her loss was a total shock and although life had taken us in different directions, as it does, I will always think of her as my second mother who took me in when I needed a place to call home. Rest in Peace Ferne, until we meet again.

Love always,
Your Son

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