Erma L. Bledsoe

Erma Lucille "Erma Lou" Bledsoe, 70, of Chester, Montana, passed away on April 11, 2025, surrounded by her children. Erma Lou was born in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania on May 18, 1954, to Robert and Marjorie “Marge” (née Williams) Oswald. She was baptized in June 1954 at the Grace Reformed Church in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Erma was the third of four children. As the only girl, she had many stories to tell of life in the Oswald home. She moved with her family from her beloved Harmony to Helena, Montana in 1967. They lived beneath the "H" on Mount Helena. Erma had several stories involving her brothers and the steep hill on the street in front of their house. The family later settled on Lower River Road in Great Falls in 1968, and she attended C.M. Russell High from 1970–73. Erma also lived in Lawton, Oklahoma for a short time.

Erma Lou returned to Great Falls and her son, Ron, was born in 1974. She worked in the kitchen at the Deaconess Hospital for several years. Around 1982, Erma Lou and Ron moved to Chester, Montana. Erma’s second son, Kurtiss, was born in 1984 in Chester, and a third son, Tylor, followed in 1989. While in Chester, Erma helped Ron with the paper route for many years. In 1993, Erma professed her faith at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Erma Lou earned the nickname “Cookie” because she served meals to most everyone in Chester during her life. When she first settled in Chester, she worked at the Liberty County Senior Center for many years. Then, Erma cooked at Spud's Café for many years before becoming the Head Cook at CJI Schools. She even helped cook at the Grand Bar in Chester. She loved baking pies, serving good meals to everyone in town, and cooking for all the kids at the school. Erma retired from CJI Schools after a stroke in 2017.

Erma Lou was not only passionate about cooking and baking; she approached life with a creative mindset while sharing her talents with friends and family. She loved gardening and spending hours creating a beautiful haven in her yard complete with a small pond and covered sitting area. She dabbled in floral design and often made special gifts for her family and friends. She made the beautiful bouquets for Ron's wedding. She also loved sewing and made countless blankets, quilts, and other useful, decorative items for loved ones. Erma Lou was a dedicated 4-H club leader for many years while Tylor was growing up. She often talked about driving across Montana in snowstorms to attend 4-H events and camping annually at the Marias Fair while Tylor showed livestock. She enjoyed camping in her Minnie-Winnie and traveling, especially back east to Pennsylvania.

Erma Lou had a larger-than-life personality and a voice to match. She was fiercely independent and had a witty, dry sense of humor. Despite facing daunting health issues, Erma made her nurses laugh. She will be missed immensely by her surviving family: sons, Ron (Jennifer) Evans and Tylor Hull; granddaughter, Tenille Evans; father and step-mother, Robert and Dee Oswald; brothers, Cliff (Robyn) Oswald and Tim (Arla) Oswald; and sister-in-law, Carolin Oswald; nieces (especially Kari Oswald) and nephews; and special cousins, Tamra Oswald and Jerry Oswald. She was preceded in death by her mother, Marge Oswald, and brother, Ronald Oswald.

The family would like to extend our special gratitude to Gordon and Mary Standiford for all their kind assistance to Erma Lou over the years. Also, a special thanks to Tim Blair and the staff at Logan Health – Chester for Erma’s care over the past couple of years.

A Memorial Vigil will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chester on Friday, May 2, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary's on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. followed by a reception.