Fern Naomi Sargent Cleghorn Passed from life in Oakland California on June 25, 2012. She was born on September 15, 1914 in Kodiak Alaska, one of 13 children to Frederick and Fevronia Sargent. As a young teenager, Fern moved from Kodiak to Seattle and then San Francisco to finish her education. She graduated from high school and went on to college at San Francisco State College studying math, chemistry and liberal arts. She was politically active in progressive political issues for many years. While at San Francisco State she met and married James Cleghorn, a composer and later music department head for the San Francisco Main Library. Fern and James raised 3 sons. In 1959 she returned to Alaska, and worked for the Alaska Department of Highways as head of accounting. The work accomplishment she was most proud of was her advocacy in support of retirement medical coverage that was adopted despite heavy opposition. In 1976 she retired to Florence OR and began to travel the world, visiting many European countries, Israel, Egypt, Australia, Japan, several Central and South American countries and Cuba. She also made several trips to Russia. Some adventures were on freighters. She participated in Elder Hostel and Servas, hosting guests at her Florence home. Fern was a voracious reader and enjoyed studying languages including Russian (her first language) and Esperanto. Fern is survived by numerous friends and family including her two sons, Peter (Anita) and John (Connie), two grandsons, Alex (Marissa) and John, her great granddaughter, Olivia Fevronia Cleghorn, and her brothers Neil and Edward Sargent. She was predeceased by her husband James and her second son Alan. Through her life she was generally in good humour and did not complain. Services will be private.