Ferne Driver Gapcynski, 95, passed away Friday, March 16, 2018. Ferne was born in New Market, Va., and was a longtime Peninsula resident after growing up in her beloved Shenandoah Valley.
Ferne graduated as a math major from Madison College in Harrisonburg, Va., and soon after, was invited to move to Hampton to work for the National Advisory Council on Aeronautics (NACA, and later, NASA) as a “computer.”
Ferne spent much of her time at NASA working at the 16′ Tunnel, where she forged many lifelong friendships. It was there she met her husband, John Gapcynski, and like many NASA families, they built their home and started their family in York County. Just after the birth of her second child, she left NASA to become a homemaker, where she spent the rest of her life taking care of her family.
Ferne is survived by a brother, Everette Driver, and his wife, Anna, of Timberville, Va.; sister, Betty Funkhouser of Broadway, Va.; children, Paul Gapcynski of James City County and Suzanne Wood, and her husband, Walter, of Leesburg, Va.; and four grandchildren, Miles Gapcynski and Taylor Gapcynski of Raleigh, N.C., and Lindsey Wood and Austin Wood of Leesburg, Va.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 7, at Grace Episcopal Church, Yorktown.
In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation to Grace Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 123, Yorktown, VA 23690.
