Erma Leona Owings, 91
Erma Leona Owings, 91, of Hamilton, a longtime Bitterroot resident, died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005.
Erma Leona Seville was born in Eden, Colo., on April 24, 1913. She was the oldest of 10 and is survived by five siblings, Florence Sawby, Edna Ridenour, Faith Newman, Keith Seville and Fredrick Seville. She is also survived by numerous beloved nieces and nephews.
Erma grew up in the Flathead Valley where in 1942 she graduated valedictorian of her class from Columbia Falls High School.
She worked at the State Soldiers Home in Columbia Falls for two years. After attending Intermountain College in Helena, she graduated from Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell,
S.D. After graduation Erma taught school for three years in White Sulphur Springs.
During World War II Erma joined the Navy. While in the Navy she married her long-time love, Ralph E. Owings, at Alameda Naval Air Station in Alameda, Calif. For a time they lived in Arizona where Ralph owned an adobe brick business. They lived for several years in the San Francisco Bay area where daughters, Laura Elizabeth and Marguerite Montana were born. While in the Bay area Erma attended the University of California at Berkley.
Erma and Ralph both missed their beloved Montana and in 1951 moved to Baker, where Erma taught. They also lived for a short
time in Butte before finally settling in the Bitterroot Valley in 1954.
Erma believed civic duty was a responsibility and ran for the House of Representatives, losing by a small margin. She remained active in the Democratic party. She was proud of the fact
she never missed voting in an election and the last election was her 71st.
Erma returned to teaching following the death of her beloved Ralph; she never remarried. She taught English at Hamilton, Opheim and Winifred high schools. Erma was then hired as the librarian at Inverness, where she set up the first library media center in the state of Montana. She had a great love of books, and of the history of Montana, and improved every library she had the privilege to run.
After retiring from teaching from Simms, she returned to live in the Bitterroot Valley full time. She was active in the Bitterroot Historical Society and set up and ran the Ravalli County Museum for 10 years. Erma was the co-founder of Bitterroot Days and Apple Days. She raised prodigious amounts of money to put a new roof on the museum and also put an elevator in so everyone had access to all the exhibits. While at the museum she especially loved teaching
children about Native American and Montana State history. Erma was also an author. She updated the Montana Directory of Public Affairs, a book Ralph had originally written.
She is survived by her daughters, Laura Owings and Marguerite Haaland and Laura's long-time companion, Ed Smith. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Amie and Jeffery Davies,
Robert Haynie, Keith Haaland, Richard Mitchell and great-grandchildren, Spencer Bryant, Henley Bryant, Dane Bryant Wyatt Haynie.
Erma will be remembered for her boundless energy, her love of books and especially her vast knowledge on the history of this great state. She was loved by many and will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 1 at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton with the Rev. Alvin House officiating. Urn placement follows at Riverview Cemetery in Hamilton.
Memorials to any school library in her name in lieu of flowers will be appreciated.