Erma Mae (Fiske) Cox

Erma Mae Cox,  was called home on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at Marshall Comfort Care.

She was born November 1931 to Albert W. Fiske and Katherine (McIntyre) Fiske in Marshall.  Erma attended Capitol Hill School.  She enjoyed telling people her childhood picture along with her two sisters, now hangs in the school's museum.  She attended Marshall High School but left before graduating to marry the love of her life, Theodore R. Cox in November of 1948 at the First Presbyterian Church of Marshall.  She would eventually complete her High School equivalency test.

Erma and her husband had a wonderful life together traveling and living in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky before coming back to Michigan.  They finally settled in the Upper Peninsula where she worked for UP Reality and Rapid River Rustic Log Home Builders before retiring.  They loved living in the UP for many years until illness brought them back to be closer to family.

Erma had a full life.  She loved to can, bake, make wine, and do crossword puzzles.   In the last years she crocheted scrubbies which she gave to organizations to raise money for them.  She also enjoyed giving them away to the staff and residents of her assisted living homes.  She loved going for rides with her niece and stopping to get ice cream.  During those rides she shared stories of growing up in the area.  She grew up very poor and when her parents divorced, she went to live with her papa.  When living in Jackson she remembered the Salvation Army bringing them milk.  When her father and grandfather worked at the Railroad Trackpan off the old River Road, she and her father lived in Cold Spring Park. Driving through town with her niece she would recall working at Freddie's Market, Petroff's Market, Sullivans Dairy, and many others.  She also worked in the home of the owners of the Bogar Theater.  She loved that job as they let her into the movies for free.  She also remembered climbing the fence to get into the fair as she only had enough money to ride a couple of rides.

Erma was preceded in death by grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, and parents.  She was also preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, two sisters, A. Jean Lehmkuhl and Marlene B. Rapacz, brothers in law Alfred Lehmkuhl and Stanley Rapacz, and two nephews Albert Lehmkuhl and Randall Rapacz.  She is survived by her niece, Cora Keiper and grandniece Christa (David) Morrison.

Services have been entrusted to Kempf Family Funeral and Cremation Services

Graveside services will be held at Oakridge Cemetery on Monday, June 13th at 10:30AM.  Jacob Washburn officiating.  Anyone wishing to make a memorial gift may do so to Oaklawn Hospice, Salvation Army, or whatever organization of their choosing. Online condolences can be left at http://www.kempffuneralhome.com