LEWISTON - Erma Rowe Sturgis, 91, of Minot, the widow of Deane M. Sturgis died Saturday at d'Youville Pavillion in Lewiston. Erma was born in Auburn on April 25, 1924, the daughter of George Harry and Elsie Kincaid Rowe. she grew up in Minot Corner and graduated from Edward Little High School in 1942. She met her future husband at Webster Junior High School, and they were classmates through high school culminating in their senior year with Deane being the class president while Erma was the class secretary. After high school, Erma went on to Bates College while Deane joined the US Navy Seabees serving in the Pacific theater during WWII. On June 26, 1946 in the Bates Chapel, Erma graduated from Bates in the morning and married Deane in the afternoon.
As Deane pursued his career in the New England Telephone Company, they lived in Auburn; Minot; Cape Elizabeth; Stoneham, MA; Teheran, Iran; and Edison, NJ. Upon retirement in 1986, they returned to her childhood home in Minot. While raising five children, Erman held various jobs including substitute teacher, math tutor, and her favorite as head of the Purpose School in Stoneham, a preschool serving 80 students, housed at the First Congregational Church. Upon leaving Stoneham in 1976, she and Deane lived for several years in Teheran, Iran where Deane worked for American Bell International. During this time they traveled extensively in Europe and in the Middle and Far East. They escaped the revolution in Iran shortly before the Shah's overthrow in 1979 settling to Edison, New Jersey where Deane finished his career at Bell Labs.
A lifelong singer, Erma participated in church choirs and Sweet Adeline choruses wherever they lived. She was also very active in several churches, serving on numerous boars and committees and directing musical events and plays. She also was a lifelong learner taking many graduate level courses at Boston and Edison area colleges. A devoted wife and mother, she raised five children instilling in them a sense of justice and compassion for others as well as love of education.
She lost the love of her life to a tragic fall at home in 1991, just five years after retirement, but remained active in her church choir and Sweet Adelines for many years. She enjoyed her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren hosting many family events at her home. She also had many friends from high school and college as well as from the many places that she and Deane had lived and enjoyed hosting them or visiting them. She travelled extensively overseas with several of these friends and sisters-in-law and maintained these friendships as long as she was able. Her Christmas card list was quite extensive!
She will be dearly missed by her loving family and the many friends that she has all over the country.
Besides her parents and her husband, she was predeceased by an older brother, Harry A. Rowe.
She is survived by her children, Jeffrey Sturgis and his wife, Susan of Minot; Mark Sturgis and his wife, Kumiko of Methuen, MA and Nozumi, Japan; Craig Sturgis and his partner, Joseph Roxas of New York, NY; Deanne Doherty and her husband, Tom of Auburn; and Bruce Sturgis and his wife, Cindy of Minot; nine grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by sister-in-law Elinor Rowe and niece Dee Etta Rowe and husband Jimmy Ferraro of Weeki Wachee, FL; Joan Sturgis of Estero, FL; Barbara Sturgis of Sedona, AZ; brother-in-law Roge Goodwin of Minot; and many sturgis nieces and nephews.
Words of condolence and tribute may be shared with Erma's family and friends at www.chandlerfunerals.com
STURGIS - died at Lewiston, Sat., Aug 8, 2015, Erman Rowe, 91, of Minot. Private family graveside services will be held at a later date. Donations may be made in her memory to the Deane Sturgis Memorial Scholarship Fund at Edward Little High School c/o Nancy Cyr, 77 Harris St., Auburn, ME 04210 or to the Sturgis Family Scholarship Fund, Bates College Advancement Office, 2 Andrews Rd., Lewiston, ME 04240. Arrangements are in the care of the Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 26 Dwinal St. Mechanic Falls.
(Obit from Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service)
As Deane pursued his career in the New England Telephone Company, they lived in Auburn; Minot; Cape Elizabeth; Stoneham, MA; Teheran, Iran; and Edison, NJ. Upon retirement in 1986, they returned to her childhood home in Minot. While raising five children, Erman held various jobs including substitute teacher, math tutor, and her favorite as head of the Purpose School in Stoneham, a preschool serving 80 students, housed at the First Congregational Church. Upon leaving Stoneham in 1976, she and Deane lived for several years in Teheran, Iran where Deane worked for American Bell International. During this time they traveled extensively in Europe and in the Middle and Far East. They escaped the revolution in Iran shortly before the Shah's overthrow in 1979 settling to Edison, New Jersey where Deane finished his career at Bell Labs.
A lifelong singer, Erma participated in church choirs and Sweet Adeline choruses wherever they lived. She was also very active in several churches, serving on numerous boars and committees and directing musical events and plays. She also was a lifelong learner taking many graduate level courses at Boston and Edison area colleges. A devoted wife and mother, she raised five children instilling in them a sense of justice and compassion for others as well as love of education.
She lost the love of her life to a tragic fall at home in 1991, just five years after retirement, but remained active in her church choir and Sweet Adelines for many years. She enjoyed her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren hosting many family events at her home. She also had many friends from high school and college as well as from the many places that she and Deane had lived and enjoyed hosting them or visiting them. She travelled extensively overseas with several of these friends and sisters-in-law and maintained these friendships as long as she was able. Her Christmas card list was quite extensive!
She will be dearly missed by her loving family and the many friends that she has all over the country.
Besides her parents and her husband, she was predeceased by an older brother, Harry A. Rowe.
She is survived by her children, Jeffrey Sturgis and his wife, Susan of Minot; Mark Sturgis and his wife, Kumiko of Methuen, MA and Nozumi, Japan; Craig Sturgis and his partner, Joseph Roxas of New York, NY; Deanne Doherty and her husband, Tom of Auburn; and Bruce Sturgis and his wife, Cindy of Minot; nine grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by sister-in-law Elinor Rowe and niece Dee Etta Rowe and husband Jimmy Ferraro of Weeki Wachee, FL; Joan Sturgis of Estero, FL; Barbara Sturgis of Sedona, AZ; brother-in-law Roge Goodwin of Minot; and many sturgis nieces and nephews.
Words of condolence and tribute may be shared with Erma's family and friends at www.chandlerfunerals.com
STURGIS - died at Lewiston, Sat., Aug 8, 2015, Erman Rowe, 91, of Minot. Private family graveside services will be held at a later date. Donations may be made in her memory to the Deane Sturgis Memorial Scholarship Fund at Edward Little High School c/o Nancy Cyr, 77 Harris St., Auburn, ME 04210 or to the Sturgis Family Scholarship Fund, Bates College Advancement Office, 2 Andrews Rd., Lewiston, ME 04240. Arrangements are in the care of the Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 26 Dwinal St. Mechanic Falls.
(Obit from Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service)
LEWISTON - Erma Rowe Sturgis, 91, of Minot, the widow of Deane M. Sturgis died Saturday at d'Youville Pavillion in Lewiston. Erma was born in Auburn on April 25, 1924, the daughter of George Harry and Elsie Kincaid Rowe. she grew up in Minot Corner and graduated from Edward Little High School in 1942. She met her future husband at Webster Junior High School, and they were classmates through high school culminating in their senior year with Deane being the class president while Erma was the class secretary. After high school, Erma went on to Bates College while Deane joined the US Navy Seabees serving in the Pacific theater during WWII. On June 26, 1946 in the Bates Chapel, Erma graduated from Bates in the morning and married Deane in the afternoon.
As Deane pursued his career in the New England Telephone Company, they lived in Auburn; Minot; Cape Elizabeth; Stoneham, MA; Teheran, Iran; and Edison, NJ. Upon retirement in 1986, they returned to her childhood home in Minot. While raising five children, Erman held various jobs including substitute teacher, math tutor, and her favorite as head of the Purpose School in Stoneham, a preschool serving 80 students, housed at the First Congregational Church. Upon leaving Stoneham in 1976, she and Deane lived for several years in Teheran, Iran where Deane worked for American Bell International. During this time they traveled extensively in Europe and in the Middle and Far East. They escaped the revolution in Iran shortly before the Shah's overthrow in 1979 settling to Edison, New Jersey where Deane finished his career at Bell Labs.
A lifelong singer, Erma participated in church choirs and Sweet Adeline choruses wherever they lived. She was also very active in several churches, serving on numerous boars and committees and directing musical events and plays. She also was a lifelong learner taking many graduate level courses at Boston and Edison area colleges. A devoted wife and mother, she raised five children instilling in them a sense of justice and compassion for others as well as love of education.
She lost the love of her life to a tragic fall at home in 1991, just five years after retirement, but remained active in her church choir and Sweet Adelines for many years. She enjoyed her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren hosting many family events at her home. She also had many friends from high school and college as well as from the many places that she and Deane had lived and enjoyed hosting them or visiting them. She travelled extensively overseas with several of these friends and sisters-in-law and maintained these friendships as long as she was able. Her Christmas card list was quite extensive!
She will be dearly missed by her loving family and the many friends that she has all over the country.
Besides her parents and her husband, she was predeceased by an older brother, Harry A. Rowe.
She is survived by her children, Jeffrey Sturgis and his wife, Susan of Minot; Mark Sturgis and his wife, Kumiko of Methuen, MA and Nozumi, Japan; Craig Sturgis and his partner, Joseph Roxas of New York, NY; Deanne Doherty and her husband, Tom of Auburn; and Bruce Sturgis and his wife, Cindy of Minot; nine grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by sister-in-law Elinor Rowe and niece Dee Etta Rowe and husband Jimmy Ferraro of Weeki Wachee, FL; Joan Sturgis of Estero, FL; Barbara Sturgis of Sedona, AZ; brother-in-law Roge Goodwin of Minot; and many sturgis nieces and nephews.
Words of condolence and tribute may be shared with Erma's family and friends at www.chandlerfunerals.com
STURGIS - died at Lewiston, Sat., Aug 8, 2015, Erman Rowe, 91, of Minot. Private family graveside services will be held at a later date. Donations may be made in her memory to the Deane Sturgis Memorial Scholarship Fund at Edward Little High School c/o Nancy Cyr, 77 Harris St., Auburn, ME 04210 or to the Sturgis Family Scholarship Fund, Bates College Advancement Office, 2 Andrews Rd., Lewiston, ME 04240. Arrangements are in the care of the Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 26 Dwinal St. Mechanic Falls.
(Obit from Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service)
As Deane pursued his career in the New England Telephone Company, they lived in Auburn; Minot; Cape Elizabeth; Stoneham, MA; Teheran, Iran; and Edison, NJ. Upon retirement in 1986, they returned to her childhood home in Minot. While raising five children, Erman held various jobs including substitute teacher, math tutor, and her favorite as head of the Purpose School in Stoneham, a preschool serving 80 students, housed at the First Congregational Church. Upon leaving Stoneham in 1976, she and Deane lived for several years in Teheran, Iran where Deane worked for American Bell International. During this time they traveled extensively in Europe and in the Middle and Far East. They escaped the revolution in Iran shortly before the Shah's overthrow in 1979 settling to Edison, New Jersey where Deane finished his career at Bell Labs.
A lifelong singer, Erma participated in church choirs and Sweet Adeline choruses wherever they lived. She was also very active in several churches, serving on numerous boars and committees and directing musical events and plays. She also was a lifelong learner taking many graduate level courses at Boston and Edison area colleges. A devoted wife and mother, she raised five children instilling in them a sense of justice and compassion for others as well as love of education.
She lost the love of her life to a tragic fall at home in 1991, just five years after retirement, but remained active in her church choir and Sweet Adelines for many years. She enjoyed her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren hosting many family events at her home. She also had many friends from high school and college as well as from the many places that she and Deane had lived and enjoyed hosting them or visiting them. She travelled extensively overseas with several of these friends and sisters-in-law and maintained these friendships as long as she was able. Her Christmas card list was quite extensive!
She will be dearly missed by her loving family and the many friends that she has all over the country.
Besides her parents and her husband, she was predeceased by an older brother, Harry A. Rowe.
She is survived by her children, Jeffrey Sturgis and his wife, Susan of Minot; Mark Sturgis and his wife, Kumiko of Methuen, MA and Nozumi, Japan; Craig Sturgis and his partner, Joseph Roxas of New York, NY; Deanne Doherty and her husband, Tom of Auburn; and Bruce Sturgis and his wife, Cindy of Minot; nine grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by sister-in-law Elinor Rowe and niece Dee Etta Rowe and husband Jimmy Ferraro of Weeki Wachee, FL; Joan Sturgis of Estero, FL; Barbara Sturgis of Sedona, AZ; brother-in-law Roge Goodwin of Minot; and many sturgis nieces and nephews.
Words of condolence and tribute may be shared with Erma's family and friends at www.chandlerfunerals.com
STURGIS - died at Lewiston, Sat., Aug 8, 2015, Erman Rowe, 91, of Minot. Private family graveside services will be held at a later date. Donations may be made in her memory to the Deane Sturgis Memorial Scholarship Fund at Edward Little High School c/o Nancy Cyr, 77 Harris St., Auburn, ME 04210 or to the Sturgis Family Scholarship Fund, Bates College Advancement Office, 2 Andrews Rd., Lewiston, ME 04240. Arrangements are in the care of the Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 26 Dwinal St. Mechanic Falls.
(Obit from Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service)
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
