Erma Lee Hohl

Erma Lee Hohl, 88, of Deshler, died on March 15, 2016, at her Deshler home. She was born on October 25, 1927, in Hebron, to George and Sylvia (Clemmons) McLaughlin, one of three children in the family. She was baptized, Easter in 1938 at the First Christian Church in Hebron, Confirmed October 16, 1955 at Peace Lutheran Church and was currently a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Deshler. Her Confirmation verse was Romans 8:28. She attended Hebron High School and graduated in 1945. Erma Lee married Arlan (Tony) Hohl on November 9, 1947 by Rev. Ralph Dyer, at the home of Erma Lee’s aunt in Hebron, Nebraska. Erma Lee spent most of her life in Thayer County between living in Hebron and spending 63 plus years in Deshler. Erma Lee, Tony and Tom lived in Chillicothe, Missouri when Tony went to Business School for three years. After Tony graduated from Business School they returned to Deshler and Tony went to work for Harold Struve in the appliance business. Tony and Erma Lee along with Ervin and Mildred Uphoff purchased the business from Harold Struve and operated Modern Appliance for many years. Erma Lee was a stay at home mom for many years. She was a cub scout leader, girl scout leader, active in the local Halfman American Legion Auxiliary Unit #352, holding many offices, a past Quilt Guild member, member of the Thayer County Hospital Guild, Deshler Woman’s Club, and the Deshler China Painting Club. Erma Lee enjoyed attending many antique auctions and could not resist buying old plates and pitchers. She also was an avid bridge card player, member of 2 local clubs, loved to bid and be the high scorer at the end of the game. Before getting married Erma Lee worked the night shift for the Hebron Telephone Company, spending many night hours talking with Clara from the Deshler Telephone Company. Tony and Erma Lee purchased the local Gambles store and moved it to consolidated the appliance store, at this time they bought out the partnership with the Uphoffs. Erma Lee went to work full time helping to manage the business, she enjoyed dressing up all the window displays and making the windows interesting for people to window shop. As Tony’s health declined and was told to stay off his legs, they sold the hardware business to a young new family moving to the area, Randy and Deb Weideman. Erma Lee retired from work and became a pampered wife once again.

Erma Lee is survived by her 2 children, Thomas George Hohl from Lincoln, Nebraska and Arlis Jean Hohl living with her in the family home in Deshler. She is survived by sisters-in-law, Marilyn Asche of Englewood Colorado and Virginia Crawford of Denver , Colorado, many nephews and nieces, great & great-great nephews and nieces, and many special relatives and close friends. She also has 2 poodles, Lacey and Little Bit (who we inherited), and a cat named Blackie (who adopted us) at the home. She is preceded in death by her husband Tony, parents George and Sylvia McLaughlin, brother Doyle and wife Dorothy McLaughlin, sister Orva Lee and husband John Holland, nephew Jim McLaughlin, mother and father-in-law, Anton (Tony) and Anna Hohl, brother and sister-in-law Charles and Valera Andrews, brother-in-law John (Jack) Crawford, brother-in-law Norman Asche and other close relatives and friends. The funeral service will be held at 2 PM, on March 17, 2016, at Peace Lutheran Church in Deshler with Pastor Rich Stevenson officiating, interment in the Deshler City Cemetery following the service. The local Halfman American Legion Auxiliary Unit #352 will also have a short service at the cemetery. The date for the funeral March 17 ^th was chosen because Erma Lee was nuts about St. Patrick’s Day. Years ago, she used to host parties and they would have Irish Coffees and green punch, we also always had corned beef and cabbage that day to eat. Each year we had to have out our green decorations and of course you had to wear green on that day or you receive a pinch to grow an inch.