Fern L. Erwin, 85, of Mt. Vernon and formerly of Dahlgren, passed away at 9:40 p.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon.She was born in Hamilton County on Jan. 15, 1924, a daughter of Ralph and Nellie (Miller) Klinker. She married James Riley Erwin on May 7, 1940, and he preceded her in death. She was a homemaker and worked a few years at St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital as a nurse's aide and also at Casey Care Center. She was a member of and attended Pleasant Grove Word of Faith church.Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at Gholson Funeral Home in Dahlgren with the Rev. Garland Burris officiating. Interment will follow at Richardson Hill Cemetery in Dahlgren.Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.Mrs. Erwin is survived by two sons, Ralph Erwin of Dahlgren and Paul Erwin and wife Nancy of McLeansboro; a daughter, Sandra McBride of Mt. Vernon; 10 grandchildren, Dewayne Erwin, Carla Anderson, Carol Ann Martin, James Erwin, Richard Erwin, Misty Sanders, William Ingram, Kimberly Davis, Paula Wright and Laura Erkmann; several great-grandchildren; and one daughter-in-law, Virginia Erwin of Dale.She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; one son, Carl Erwin; one son-in-law, Allen McBride; and one brother, William "Bill" Klinker.For further information, you may call Gholson Funeral Home in Dahlgren at 736-2431. Published in the Mt. Vernon Register News on 1/8/2010