Erma Jean Walden

Erma Jean Walden, 93, Springfield, passed away in her home on Feb. 18, 2019.

Erma was born Aug. 12, 1925, to Creston and Ethel (Bell) Walden in Cedar County just east of the Vernon-Cedar County Line Rd.

Ermas was an elementary school classroom teacher. For three years, she taught in a one room country school, teaching grades on to eight. She taught 39 years in Springfield public schools, 16 at Campbell School and 23 at Horace Mann. At the time of her retirement, she was the active teacher who had taught the most years in Springfield public schools.

She had a B.S. degree from S.M.S. at the time  of her graduation it was called S.T.C. Later she earned an MA degree from George Peabody College for Teachers which is located in Nashville, TN. One summer she attended college at Boulder, CO.

While teaching she was active in the Association for Childhood Education, International Reading Association and Springfield Education Association. She was a life member of National Education Association, Missouri State Teachers Association, Retired Teachers Association of Missouri, Springfield Area Teachers Association and Alpha Delta Kappa, PSI Chapter.

She especially enjoyed teaching creative writing and was proud of the awards that her pupils received.

Miss Walden enjoyed traveling-bus, train, boat, plane to all 50 states. She toured Europe, New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. Later she attended 17 Elderhostels.

She did volunteer work after retiring. She spent several years volunteering at a nursing home going every Friday to pop and serve popcorn or take cookies and punch or ice cream to serve to the residents. For three years she went to South Side Senior Center to pack food for delivery to the home bound.

After she moved to an independent living home, she made dozens of bibs for nursing home patients and many lap robes for car facilities.

Erma owned her own home and enjoyed growing flowers, gardening and caring for her yard. She enjoyed preparing family dinners. She wrote poetry. When preparing a speech she uaually included some original poetry.

Miss Walden was preceded in death by her parents, Creston and Ethel Walden; sister, Sylvia Frazer and brother-in-law, Roy Frazer.

She is survived by her brother, Virgil Walden and wife, Susanne; two nephews, Jim Frazer, and Dan Walden; four nieces, Darlene (Frazer) Lance, Joyce (Frazer) Warner, Gena (Walden) Crowdis and Jane (Walden) Fischer; 18 great nephews and nieces and many other family and friends.

Service will be at 1 p.m. March 2 at Walnut Lawn Funeral Home. Visitation will precede the service at noon. Interment will be at the Clintonville Cemetery, El Dorado Springs.

Services will be conducted by Pastor Charlie Arsenault, Evangel Temple Christian Center.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to American Heart Association or Evangel Temple Christian Center, Springfield.