Fern Marie Ornquist

Fern Marie Ornquist, 90, of Red Wing, fomerly of Middle River, Minn. died Monday, October 19, 2026 at her home in The Villa in the Benedictine Living Community.

She was born Feburary 21, 1936 in Middle River to Glen and Fannie (Morehouse) Curtiss. She grew up in Middle River and attended Middle River High School, graduating class of 1953. She went on to college and trained as a dietitican. On September 3, 1954 she married Dean Ornquist and the couple raised three sons.

Together she and Dean owned and operated many buisnesses, including Spruce Valley Nursury. Over the years they also ran a car lot, storage units, Christmas tree farms, a trucking company, a pallet recycling company, and tractor restoration company. When she wasn’t helping Dean, Fern worked at Middle River School as a dietician, in the billing office of the Honker Newspaper, and for the City of Middle River. She also found time to call bingo.

She was a life-long member of First Lutheran Church where she also taught Sundy School. She could play the guitar and in her younger years she even sang on the radio with two of her sisters.

Fern was very family focused. She loved raising her boys and was very proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She remained close with her siblings and loved getting together with the family. She and Dean made Christmas a weeklong event. She had many close friends and she treasured each of those relationships. She was a safe person to confide in and she was always willing to listen over a cup of coffee.

She will be missed by many, including her sons; Dwight, Bryan (Janice), and Dexter (Jenny Olsen) Ornquist; 9 grandchildren, Micah, Dani, Chris, JJ, Jordan, Ben, Kaila, Collan and Wren; several great-grandchildren; and her siblings, Linda (Keith) Gram, Gloria (Curt) Barber, and Gordan (Kay) Curtiss.

She is preceded in death by her husband of nearly 60 years, Dean; siblings, Joy (Omar Thompson) Curtiss, and Gladis (Wallis Nelson) Curtiss; and their parents; two great-grandchildren, several in-laws, nieces, nephews, and very close friends.