Erma Bernice Phillips

ERMA PHILLIPS LONG LANE, Missouri - Erma Bernice Phillips, 96, a former resident of Muscatine, died on Wednesday, December 26, 2012, at her home. Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 29, 2012, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Pastor Gertie Nickols will officiate. Bearers will be Justin Polston, Matt Polston, Darris Meyers, Skip Hitchcock, Joe Van Zandt, Randy Castle, Donald Eichelberger, and Randy Powell. Burial will take place in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will held from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 29, 2012, at the funeral home. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 27, 2012 at the Cantlon Otterness Funeral Chapel in Buffalo, Missouri. Memorials may be made to the High Prairie United Methodist Church or Buffalo United Methodist Church, Buffalo, Missouri. Erma was born on July 15, 1916, in Muscatine, Iowa, the second of four children of Fred George and Myrtle Clara Easterla Rann. Erma graduated from Muscatine High School and Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She taught at Prospect, Star, and Lucas Grove, all one room rural schools in Muscatine County. She was united in marriage with ...[more]

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l Fred Phillips on June 8, 1941 in Muscatine, Iowa. Carl served in the U.S. Army during World War II. While he was stationed in California, Erma joined him there until he was sent overseas. She then returned to Muscatine. After Carl's discharge from the Army, they made their home in rural Muscatine and began farming. One daughter, Carla Sue was born to the couple. Erma worked for Sears & Roebuck Co. in Muscatine, retiring from there in 1982. She and Carl traveled over much of the United States and spent many winters in Arizona, Texas, or Florida. After Carl's death in 2001, Erma moved to Buffalo, Missouri, to be near her daughter and granddaughters. For the last five years she has lived with her daughter and son-in-law near Long Lane, Missouri. Erma was a member of the High Prairie United Methodist Church in Muscatine, Iowa, and attended the Buffalo United Methodist Church in Buffalo, Missouri. She is survived by her daughter, Carla Deckard and husband, Lavelle, of Long Lane, Missouri; her granddaughters, Beth Meyers and husband, Jim, of El Dorado Springs, Missouri, and Debby Polston and husband, Gary, of Buffalo, Missouri; her great-grandsons, Justin and Matthew Polston both of Buffalo, Missouri, and Darris Meyers in the US Marine Corps; her great-great granddaughter, Joslynn Polston of Buffalo, Missouri; two sisters-in-law; and nieces and nephews. Erma was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Carl "Fritz" Phillips; her brother, Lysle Rann; and her sisters, Louise Hitchcock and Barbara Rann.