Erma lee (92) GERLA

Erma passed on to her heavenly home on February 4, 2023. She was born in Melvern, Kansas, on August 30, 1930, the sixth of nine children. At age eight, her family moved to Omak, Washington. There she attended school and met her sweetheart, Ben Gerla. They married in 1951 and had four children. After several moves around Washington, they settled in Deer Park, where Erma spent most of her life.

Erma was quiet and shy in public but was always the person working behind the scenes to get things done and keep everything running smoothly. That included sewing outfits for her children, hosting church dinners, working at the local polling place during elections, and much more. For example, after Ben died in 1995, Erma took over the management and caretaking of a local senior citizen apartment complex for many years. Erma taught herself to play the piano by ear and was the pianist in her church for most of her adult life.

Erma's interests included quilting, bookkeeping, gardening, and children. She enjoyed teaching in the after-school Kid's Club program at her church. She also enjoyed traveling around the world with Ben. Her favorite place was Antarctica, which she loved to talk about.

Erma was preceded in death by her husband Ben and her son, Dennis. She is survived by her three daughters, Janna Basham, Pamela Olson, and Kathryn Gerla; four grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren. Erma will be greatly missed by her family and friends, but we know she is at peace in the arms of her heavenly Father.

A funeral service for Erma will be held at Mountain View Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Lakewood, Washington, on February 24, 2023, at one o'clock in the afternoon. For more information about the service and to share a memory of Erma, please visit the Mountain View website: mountainviewtacoma.com.