Erma Cowan

(From Ozark Funeral Home)

Erma Florence Cowan, passed away peacefully on Tuesday evening, December 12, 2023, at Woodland Manor in Springfield, Missouri, following a recent decline in health. Born on August 5, 1925, in Gering, Nebraska, Erma's life journey was marked by devotion, resilience, and an unwavering faith. She was 98 years old.

Raised in the Sand Hills of Wyoming, Erma moved to Goodman, Missouri, in 1942, where she later graduated from Goodman High School in 1943. Erma's life was a testament to her enduring spirit and her commitment to her family. As a devoted homemaker and a steadfast member of the Baptist faith, she nurtured a home filled with warmth and grace.

Erma's heart was a wellspring of love, not only for her family but also for the simple pleasures of life. She found joy in reading, tending to her garden, and working alongside her beloved husband, Dale, on their family farm.

Erma was preceded in death by her parents, Norton and Nina (Lockhart) Upthagrove; the father of her children, Harold Hall; her son, Edward Hall; her daughter-in-law, Wilma Hall; her son-in-law, Jim Searson; her brother, Morris Upthagrove; and her sisters, Beth Herdman and Betty Jo Hobbs. Her memory will be cherished and kept alive by her loving husband, Dale Cowan, with whom she shared countless treasured moments.

She leaves behind her three daughters, Alice McGuire, Eleanor Searson, and Bonnie Cole; eleven grandchildren, twenty-four great-grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren; as well as a host of other family.

Graveside services are 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 15, 2023 at Mayfield Cemetery near Goodman, Missouri with Pastor Robert Nutting officiating. Those honoring her life by serving as pallbearers are Tom Searson, Matt Searson, Jess Cole and Bryan Ozbun. The family will receive friends on Friday from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Missouri. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Missouri.