Erma D. Buckingham, 95

Erma D. Buckingham, 95, a 50-year resident of Kalispell, passed gently in her sleep near her son and granddaughter in San Rafael, Calif., on April 14, 2010.

She was born on the family homestead near Glenburn, N.D., on Feb. 25, 1915. She was the middle daughter of Bert and Edna Kochel.

Erma was the first in the family to finish high school in Lansing, N.D.

In 1939, she married Chancey Swor and moved to Seattle, where she was a “Rosie the Riveter” at Boeing and a member of the International Association of Machinists. Later she became the first woman manager for Safeway in Seattle at this time, and a member of the Safeway Employees Association and Retail Clerks International Association.

In 1948, she moved with her sister, Evelyn, to Kalispell, where they owned and operated the Hut Café on East Idaho Street for many years.

She married Brayton “Buck” Buckingham on July 1, 1968; he preceded her in death in 1984. In 1998 she moved to San Rafael, Calif., to be closer to her son and granddaughter.

Erma and Buck were longtime downtown institutions in Kalispell. Both were kind and generous. Erma may be best remembered for having a “safe house” for troubled teens during the ’50s and early ’60s.

Her remains are buried near her elder sister, Evelyn Kalamaha, in C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery.

Erma is survived by her younger sister, Harriet Morris, 93, and husband Robert, of Kalispell; her son, Stacy Swor, and wife, Barbara, of Mill Valley, Calif.; and granddaughter, Samantha Swor, and husband, Kevin Becketti, of Berkeley, Calif.; Josh and Keslie Mack of Monterey, Calif.; and five great-grandchildren, Olivia and Patrick Becketti, and Aleah, Kiryn and Nili Mack.

Erma was affectionately known as “Gigi,” as in “Great-grandmother.”

Graveside services were held at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery on Friday, Aug. 5, 2011.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Erma’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to view Erma’s tribute wall and offer condolences.