Erma E. Clare, 96
Dateline: Norton, MA
Erma E. (Coffey) Clare age 96 went to her permanent home surrounded by the loving presence of her family on Wednesday November 21, 2007. She was the beloved wife of the late Edwin E. Clare, Jr. to whom she was wed July 5, 1947 and who passed away on June 24, 2004.
Born in Humeston, Iowa on January 20, 1911 she was one of 10 children born to the late Newton and Gertrude (Robinson) Coffey.
She grew up in Garden Grove, Iowa and was a graduate of Garden Grove High School, later she went on to become a 1944 graduate of the Kansas City General Hospital School of Nursing.
Erma served during WWII in the Army Nurse Corps in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1945 with the rank of Second Lieutenant. While in the service she was a recipient of the World War II Victory Medal.
Mrs. Clare worked as a Visiting Nurse for many years for the Mansfield Visiting Nurse Agency prior to retirement.
In the 1970’s she was a full time aunt at that time the Clare’s inherited 5 teenagers four of whom they raised in Mansfield
She was an active member of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church of Emmanuel in Foxboro. she served in numerous capacities at the church including as a deaconess, a Sunday school teacher, was a member of the Women’s Missionary Prayer Fellowship. She was a mentor to the young people at the church and was a “Prayer Warrior”
Erma’s other interests included needlework, rug hooking, cake decorating, traveling and especially the times spent with her adoring family. She had made her home in Norton with her son and his family for the past 3 ½ years and was formerly a resident of Mansfield for 57 years.
She is survived by her devoted son E. Earl Clare, III and his wife Kay of Norton, her dear sisters Dorothy Smith age 89 and Velma Anderson age 99 both of Peculiar, Missouri, her cherished grandchildren Laurel C. Neale of Melrose, Lynda A. Clare of Dallas, Texas and Ed E. Clare, IV of Norton, also survived by her loving nieces and nephews Clare D’Innocenzo of Mansfield, Anthony Durbano of Medfield, Gary Durbano of Hope, Rhode Island, Daniel Durbano of Boca Raton, Florida and Joanne Roche of Mansfield as well as 8 grand nieces and nephews and 1 great grand nephew.
Funeral services, to which relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend, will be held on Saturday November 24th at 10:00 A.M. in the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church of Emmanuel 106 Central St. Foxboro. Burial will follow with military honors at Knollwood Memorial Park, Canton.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday November 23rd from 4-7 P.M. at the Sherman & Jackson Funeral Home 55 North Main St. Mansfield.
In lieu of flowers Erma’s family has requested that donations in her memory be made to either Beacon Hospice 45 North Main St. Fall River, MA 02720www.beaconhospice.com or to Life Care Center of Attleboro 969 Park St. Attleboro, MA 02703
For additional information please visit www.shermanjackson.com