Hallowell - Fern Ryder White died Wednesday, July 25, 2007 after a long and satisfying life. Her kindness, thoughtfulness, and sweetness will be greatly missed. Fern was born August 2, 1911 in Brownville, Maine, the daughter of Harvey W. and Esther (Farnham) Ryder. After Harvey's death in 1916, Esther took Fern and her two younger brothers to live with relatives in Buffalo, New York. Her uncle John P. Farnham, son of the second keeper of the Tenant's Harbor (ME) lighthouse, became her surrogate father. Fern graduated from the University of Buffalo in 1932 with a BA in mathematics, having completed an accelerated program during which she met her future husband. She worked in the Buffalo public schools until she married Howard Rawson White in 1936. This union began an odyssey of relocations around the country. After a year in Iowa, Fern first returned to Maine in 1937 when Howard became an instructor at the University of Maine. In Orono Fern was one of the founding staff of the Child Study Center at the University, teaching reading development. Over the years, Howard's job advancements took them to Buffalo (NY), Detroit (MI), Concord (CA), Bowling Green (OH), Memphis (TN), Saint Louis (MO), and Lexington (MA). Fern again returned to Maine in 1957 when Howard became Chief Psychologist at the Togus Veterans Administration Center. In Augusta Fern returned to public school teaching, first at the old Lincoln School and later at the Williams School. Then they were off again - to California (PA) for ten years and finally back to Augusta in 1976 when Howard retired. In their retirement years Fern indulged her love of travel with a trip through the Panama Canal, and tours including the British Isles, the Rhine River, the coast of Alaska, and the capital cities around the Baltic Sea. There were also visits to relatives and to friends in the places she and Howard had lived over the years, and many visits to her children and grandchildren, and vice versa. Throughout her life Fern was an expert seamstress, making clothes and ostumes for children and grandchildren. For many years she was an avid bridge player, and solver of crosswords and other word puzzles. In recent years, as time took its toll, Fern has been comforted by her many friends in Augusta and especially those at Granite Hill Estates, where she was a charter member and served on the Residents Board for several years. The lively group of ladies at her dinner table has acquired a certain local fame. Fern is survived by her sons Robert B. White of Sunnyvale, CA and his wife Sara, George A. White of Tewksbury, MA and his wife Debbie, Ralph G. White of West Hartford, CT and his wife Joanne, as well as seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. A memorial service is planned for October 6th. Memorial contributions may be made to FRIENDS OF LITHGOW LIBRARY, INC., 278 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330-6923. Arrangements are in the care of Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home and Cremation Service, One Church St., Augusta Maine 04330.