Obituary for Erma L. Wilson
Erma L. Wilson
Erma L. Wilson died peacefully in her sleep on Friday, Nov. 6, in her apartment at Keystone Villa of Ephrata. She was 96.
The former Erma Lutz was born March 9, 1924, in Shickshinny, Pa., and moved to Detroit, Mich., at the age of 18. She began writing as a pen pal to Gordon R. Wilson, a Detroit-born solider stationed in the Pacific during World War II. When Gordon returned home, they met, married and lived 59 years together. They enjoyed vacation trips to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Aruba and Trinidad and once took a fast flight with their travel group on the Concorde to Paris for just one day - quite the adventure for a small-town farm girl from the mountains of Pennsylvania!
As a young woman, she worked as an industrial diamond cutter in Detroit. After marriage in 1946, Erma did many years of volunteer work, including running a popular boutique with her husband for the Taylor Senior Center in Taylor, Mich., where she sold her crocheted crafts, and taught Sunday School for more than 20 years for Southminster Presbyterian Church in Taylor.
Gordon died in September 2005, and Erma moved to Racine, Wis., to live near family and later to Lancaster County in 2016 when her son and his wife returned here.
As a young housewife, Erma won blue ribbons for her home-baked pies at Michigan fairs, and throughout her life she enjoyed reading, bingo, lottery tickets, word puzzles and especially large jigsaw puzzles. An expert needleworker, she frequently donated her doilies, afghans, slippers and other home-crafted items to various charities and fund raisers.
She leaves her son Richard R. Wilson (husband of Karen Carnabucci), West Earl Township; and grandchildren Corrie Wilson Brown, Ephrata, and Matthew Wilson, Harrisburg (husband of Carla); and great-grandchildren Mason, Isaac and Erin. A daughter, Sandra Wilson Comer, preceded her in death.
Private funeral services for family are scheduled on Friday, Nov. 13, with friends welcome to visit from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Stradling Funeral Home, 30 N. Ninth St., Akron, with all safety guidelines, including masks, followed due to the pandemic. However, we understand and recommend that your personal health and safety during this pandemic are highly important, we are planning an online memorial event with River Crossing Playback Theatre in December or early 2021. If you wish to attend the online event, please contact richierichlancaster@gmail.com for details.
Donations in remembrance of Erma’s life may be sent to Veteran Scholarship Fund of Soldiers Heart (payable to Dr. Edward Tick and putting “Veteran Donation” in the memo line), 130 Gold St.. Belchertown, MA 01007, which does healing work with veterans of all eras and all wars, or the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, 2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, PA 17601.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata.
Erma L. Wilson died peacefully in her sleep on Friday, Nov. 6, in her apartment at Keystone Villa of Ephrata. She was 96.
The former Erma Lutz was born March 9, 1924, in Shickshinny, Pa., and moved to Detroit, Mich., at the age of 18. She began writing as a pen pal to Gordon R. Wilson, a Detroit-born solider stationed in the Pacific during World War II. When Gordon returned home, they met, married and lived 59 years together. They enjoyed vacation trips to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Aruba and Trinidad and once took a fast flight with their travel group on the Concorde to Paris for just one day - quite the adventure for a small-town farm girl from the mountains of Pennsylvania!
As a young woman, she worked as an industrial diamond cutter in Detroit. After marriage in 1946, Erma did many years of volunteer work, including running a popular boutique with her husband for the Taylor Senior Center in Taylor, Mich., where she sold her crocheted crafts, and taught Sunday School for more than 20 years for Southminster Presbyterian Church in Taylor.
Gordon died in September 2005, and Erma moved to Racine, Wis., to live near family and later to Lancaster County in 2016 when her son and his wife returned here.
As a young housewife, Erma won blue ribbons for her home-baked pies at Michigan fairs, and throughout her life she enjoyed reading, bingo, lottery tickets, word puzzles and especially large jigsaw puzzles. An expert needleworker, she frequently donated her doilies, afghans, slippers and other home-crafted items to various charities and fund raisers.
She leaves her son Richard R. Wilson (husband of Karen Carnabucci), West Earl Township; and grandchildren Corrie Wilson Brown, Ephrata, and Matthew Wilson, Harrisburg (husband of Carla); and great-grandchildren Mason, Isaac and Erin. A daughter, Sandra Wilson Comer, preceded her in death.
Private funeral services for family are scheduled on Friday, Nov. 13, with friends welcome to visit from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Stradling Funeral Home, 30 N. Ninth St., Akron, with all safety guidelines, including masks, followed due to the pandemic. However, we understand and recommend that your personal health and safety during this pandemic are highly important, we are planning an online memorial event with River Crossing Playback Theatre in December or early 2021. If you wish to attend the online event, please contact richierichlancaster@gmail.com for details.
Donations in remembrance of Erma’s life may be sent to Veteran Scholarship Fund of Soldiers Heart (payable to Dr. Edward Tick and putting “Veteran Donation” in the memo line), 130 Gold St.. Belchertown, MA 01007, which does healing work with veterans of all eras and all wars, or the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, 2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, PA 17601.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata.