Irma Emery

1940 - 2018

Irma Emery, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, died peacefully at the age of 77 on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at the VITAS Care Center in Delray Beach. Irma was born in Bucks County, PA on November 27, 1940. Her parents, Ruth and Ralph Emery, raised Irma and her siblings in Ecuador, where they worked as missionaries. After completing high school in Ecuador, Irma attended Nyack College in New York where she earned a B.S. degree in Anthropology. Later, she earned a Masters degree in teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). She was fluent in both English and Spanish.

 

In 1962, she married Paul Ellis, and in 1966 she gave birth to Emery Ellis.  Soon after, she and Paul divorced and Irma raised Emery on her own in New York City, where she worked as an administrator in the field of aging services. In 1985, she moved to South Florida. At the time of her death, she resided at King’s Point in Delray Beach.

 

Over the years, Irma made contributions to the fields of senior health and wellness, aging, and end-of-life care. She was also an ardent advocate for children in foster care, and youth pressed into caregiving roles for family members, serving as a guardian ad litem, and a volunteer for the American Association for Caregiving Youth. She also enjoyed reading, writing, movies, and going out to eat with friends. She was always ready for a lively and intelligent conversation on almost any topic from history to present day events.

 

Irma was devoted to her son, his wife (Dina Ellis), and her two grandchildren, Christopher and Brianna, all of whom survive her and live in Birmingham, AL. She also enjoyed many close friendships and built a “family of choice” in South Florida.

 

In addition to her son and his family, Irma is survived by her sister, Patricia Emery, and her nephews, Steve, Mark, Glen, Nathan and Peter.  She is predeceased by her parents, sister Esther, brother Norman, and nephew Tad.

 

Those who wish to honor her memory can do so by making a donation to the American Association for Caregiving Youth (https://aacy.org/index.php/donate) or the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida (http://www.gaymenschorusofsouthflorida.org/donate/).