Erma L. Dunstan

Erma Louise (Snyder) Dunstan was born on April 2, 1924 in Effingham, Kansas. She was the third of ten children born to Irl and Lou Ella (Binkley) Snyder. She passed away on June 25, 2015 at the age of 91 years, 2 months and 23 days at Jewell County Hospital Long term Care / Intermediate Swing Bed, Mankato, Kansas. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, four brothers, two sisters and a great grandson.

When Erma was still in high school, her parents moved from Effingham, Kansas to Montrose, Kansas on January 10, 1941. She remained in Effingham to finish high school and then followed her parents to Montrose. After high school Erma received her teacher’s certificate. When she moved to Montrose she had the privilege to teach at three area schools. Later in life many of her students still remembered her being their teacher and took great pride in reminding her of that fact.

Erma continued to teach school until she was united in marriage to Edwin Dunstan on April 5, 1946. They settled on what became their family farm just two miles from where she and her parents first lived when they came to the Montrose community. To this union, three children were born – Edwin Rex Jr. (Eddie); Ellis Joe and a daughter, Elesa Suanne. Edwin and Erma celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1996 and were blessed with 56 years of marriage. Until Edwin’s death in October 2002 they continued working the family farm.

Erma continued to live on the family farm after Edwin’s death. In May 2003 Erma’s daughter Elesa and her family moved from Randall and joined Erma in her home to take care of her. She remained in her home until April 2010, when she moved into the LTC unit at Jewell County Hospital where she remained until her death.
Edwin and Erma enjoyed farming, square dancing, and Saturday night bridge club with other couples in the community. They also enjoyed numerous family gatherings surrounded by children and grandchildren and they were often entertained with skits performed by their grandchildren. Over the years Erma was blessed with 15 great-grandchildren. She had many opportunities to hold, talk to and watch her great-grandchildren grow.

Erma always kept a tidy house and when expecting guests often spent countless hours cleaning her home. Her one great passion was houseplants and flowers. There was always a plant or two in almost every room in the house and when a porch was built on the side of the house, in no time at all there were wall to wall plants. When she would come home with a new houseplant, when asked “why another plant” – her reply would be “I don’t have one like this”. That may or may not have been the case, but another plant came into the house and soon had a place among the others.

Erma was very active in helping where she could on the family farm. She was active in her community as a member of EHU and the ladies group in the Montrose Community Church where she and Edwin attended until its closure. She also served on the election board for several years.

Erma’s love for visiting with people continued at the ISB. She did her best to participate in all the activities and enjoyed visiting with the nurses and staff. You could see her smile very widely when former students would visit her at the ISB and they greeted her with “Hello Miss Erma”.

Erma is survived by her children, Edwin Dunstan, Jr. and wife Clelia – Brooksville, Florida; Ellis Dunstan and wife Marilyn – Scandia, Kansas and daughter, Elesa McMillan and husband, Bill – Mankato, Kansas. Grandchildren include Jeremy Edwin (Jed) Dunstan and wife Jourdan – Lake Mary, Florida; Nanette Carpenter and husband, David – Wichita, Kansas; Elwin Dunstan and wife Janie – Randolph, Kansas; Earl Dunstan and wife, Crystal – Courtland, Kansas; Matthew McMillan and Mitchell McMillan – Mankato, Kansas. Step-grandchildren – Aaron Coil and wife Jana – Lovewell, Kansas; Kristen Mooer and husband, Jeremy – Fort Collins, Colorado and Samantha O’Dell – Fort Collins, Colorado. Also surviving Erma are seven great-grandchildren and seven step great-grandchildren. Also joining in the celebration of her life are two sisters Virginia and husband, Ike Rightmeier – Mankato, Kansas; and Leta and husband, Kenny Adams – Beloit, Kansas; one brother, Don and wife, Barbara Snyder – Mankato, Kansas, numerous nieces, nephews and many, many friends.

Services will be held Tuesday, June 30, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church, Jewell, Kansas. Erma will be laid to rest in Pleasant View Cemetery, not far from the family farm, next to her husband Edwin. Visitation will be Monday, June 29, 2015 at the Melby Mortuary Chapel, Mankato, Kansas, from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
If persons wish, memorials may be made to the ISB (formerly LTC) unit of the Jewell County Hospital, Mankato, Kansas.

Melby Mortuary, Mankato, Kansas, was in charge of service arrangements.