Erma Lucille Larsen

Erma Lucille Larsen, the daughter of Erick C. and Lisa (Lizzie) M. Andersen Christensen, was born June 23, 1927, at her parents’ home west of Brayton, Iowa and died April 25, 2017, at the Exira Care Center in Exira, Iowa at the age of 89 years, 10 months, and 2 days.
Erma was baptized at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn, Iowa and confirmed at the Oak Hill Lutheran Church west of Brayton. She attended the Oakfield Center rural school then graduated from the Exira High School with the Class of 1945. Erma was employed as a clerk at Penney’s and Olive’s Dress Shop in Atlantic, Iowa.
On August 29, 1948, she was united in marriage to Lyle Esbeck Larsen at the Oak Hill Lutheran Church west of Brayton. They were blessed with four children Linn, Michael, Krista, and Curt. Erma helped Lyle operate the farm where they grew row crops and raised livestock until they retired in 1981. Erma then went back to work as a clerk at Maurice’s for the duration of the business. They lived on the farm then moved into Brayton in 1985. Lyle died October 22, 2001. Erma lived in Brayton for several years before moving to the Sunset View Apartments in Exira. In February of 2014, Erma moved into the Exira Care Center following hip surgery.
Erma was an active member of the Brayton Lutheran Church and was involved with the Women’s group. She was an excellent seamstress and made many of the children’s clothes. She enjoyed her flower garden, crocheting, baking and canning.
Preceding her in death was her husband Lyle E. Larsen; her son Curt Larsen; her parents; and her brother and sisters Emmert Christensen, Lorraine Hoegh, and Edna Eagen.
Survivors include her children Linn and husband Jim Headlee of Atlantic, Iowa, Michael and Nancy Larsen of Polk City, Iowa, and Krista Larsen of Omaha, Nebraska; Paul vanVliet of Omaha, Nebraska; her grandchildren and great grandchildren Chad and wife Christy Headlee and their son Lincoln of Denver, Colorado, Jaime (Headlee) and husband Erik Bergstrom and their daughter Kora of Lakewood, Colorado, Lisa (Larsen) and husband Brooks Witter and their son Ferran of Louisville, Colorado, Kevin and wife Nicole Larsen and their children Caleb, Graycee, and Charlotte of Eldora, Iowa, and Craig and wife Lori Larsen and their daughter MacKenzie; Her sister-in-law Corrine Christensen of Gove, Kansas; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
The family will meet with friends on Friday evening, April 28, 2017, at 5:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Steven Frock on Saturday morning at 10:30 A.M. at the Brayton Lutheran Church in Brayton, Iowa. In terment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon, Iowa. The honorary casket bearers will be Chad Headlee, Lisa (Larsen) Witter, Jaime (Headlee) Bergstrom, Kevin Larsen, and Craig Larsen. The casket bearers will be Roger Larsen, Ron Larsen, Doug Larsen, Denny Follmann, David Erickson, Steven Erickson, Philip Nielsen, and Mitch Christensen.