Erma Maxine Carmicheal
1929 - 2020
Erma Maxine Carmicheal, age 91, of Plainville, passed peacefully at her home surrounded by her children on Tuesday, August 4, 2020.
She was born on July 9, 1929 to Cecile and Murel Pettijohn near Madison, Kansas.
Erma graduated from Ellinwood High School in 1947 and attended the Kansas City Secretarial School in Kansas City, MO. She married Charles Robert Carmicheal on October 2, 1949. They had three children and celebrated over 65 years of marriage.
In January 1956, she went to work at the United Methodist Church as Financial Secretary, Secretary and Treasurer for over 20 years. In the mid-sixties, Robert and Erma purchased the Coast to Coast Store from Robert’s parents which later became Carmicheal True Value. She worked at the store until the early 2000’s.
Erma was a member of the Plainville United Methodist Church, a Rebekah, and a fifty-year plus member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She gave her life to Christ at the Lay Witness Mission in her church on September 6, 1969. In 1995, she re-dedicated her life to walking with the Lord daily. She was totally committed to Him. An active member of the church, she loved Bible studies and small groups. She would rather have Jesus than Silver and Gold!
She loved being her husband’s help mate, her role as a mother, her duties to the home, and keeping it neat and orderly. She loved cooking and also the challenge of working in the store. She loved her daily walks—praying to God all the while and enjoying the peaceful tranquility of the small town and the slower pace.
Erma was instrumental in the creation of the annual UMC Auction. She looked forward to the selection of the Carmicheal Family High School Scholarship recipients. She was a member of the PHS Booster Club and loved attending and cheering on the Cardinal football teams each year.
She was a quilt maker and a member of the Crossroad Quilters. She enjoyed hand sewing all her days, and she never sat down in the evenings without something to work on, whether it be quilting, sewing, cross stitching or embroidery. Erma and Robert enjoyed square dancing with the Swinging Wheel Square Dance Club and travelling Western Kansas making many friendships along the way.
Survivors include her son, Wes Carmicheal of Plainville; two daughters, Kelly and husband William (Bill) Dean of Topeka and Robyn Seabolt and husband Arthur (Art) of Skiatook, OK; 7 grandchildren: Travis Dean, Robert Allen Dean, Krysten Stroh, Matthew (Anna) Stroh, Seth Seabolt, Dominic Seabolt and Noelle Sliva; three great-grandchildren: Becker Sliva, Kennedy Sliva and Milo Stroh; four sisters-in-law: Clara Pettijohn, Wilma Pettijohn, Regna Powell and Joan Carmicheal; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Murel and Cecile Pettijohn; husband Robert in 2015; five brothers, George, Charles, Darrel, Richard, Jim; and two sisters, Lillian and Elsie.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Plainville United Methodist Church on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at 2:30 pm. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 7th, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home in Plainville.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in Plainville and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 320 SW 2nd, Plainville, KS 67663. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.plumeroverlease.com
