Erma Riibe

Erma Della Riibe, the daughter of Jack William and Clara Selma (Wagner) Cox, was born at Cushing, Nebraska on December 23, 1920. Erma grew up in Cushing where she attended school. Following high school, Erma moved to Florida for the next few years and worked as a live-in nanny. Erma returned to Nebraska and moved to Hartington with her sister Anne Gaddie and husband Chet to help care for their children. It was here she met her future husband Joseph Bernard Riibe. Erma and Joe were married at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hartington on November 28, 1940. While living in Hartington, the marriage was blessed with their first child Joseph Raymond, who died at three months of age. Joe soon enlisted in the U. S. Army and Erma moved to Wolbach, Nebraska to live with her parents. While Erma was living at Wolbach, their second child Bonnie was born. Joe did not see Erma and his daughter for the next two years while he served overseas.
Following WW II, the family moved to Sioux City, Iowa where Erma worked in the Cudahy packinghouse. Their third child, William Francis was born while the family lived in Sioux City.
In 1951, the family moved to Pomona, California where they lived on a turkey farm for which Erma was working and Joe worked selling light fixtures. In 1954, they moved to Omaha, Nebraska where Joe worked for Armour Packing Company and Erma cleaned offices above the Orpheum Theater. Erma and Joe moved to Malvern, Iowa in February of 1967 and established "Erma's Worry." Joe continued to work in Omaha for the next few years and Erma managed the Malvern business. Erma retired in 1982 and sold the business to their son Willie.
Erma's enjoyments included doing embroidery work and puzzles.
She and Joe had been married for 47 years when Joe died on June 12, 1987. Erma continued to live in her Malvern home and had been temporarily staying with her daughter Bonnie and her husband Dennis at Georgetown, Texas while she recovered from a recent heart attack. Erma died at Bonnie and Dennis's weekend ranch house in Adamsville, Texas on July 21, 2002 at the age of 81 years, 6 months, and 28 days.
Erma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Joe, her brother Raymond Cox, and sons Joseph Riibe and William Riibe.
Erma is survived by her daughter Bonnie Staszak and her husband Dennis of Georgetown, TX; sister Anne Gaddie of Stanton, NE; sisters-in-law Rita Kirchmeier of Sioux City, IA and Eleanor Riibe of LaVista, NE; grandchildren Renee Stone and her husband Jeff of Hendersonville, TN, Brenda Smith and her husband Jeff of Austin, TX, Craig Riibe of Hastings, IA, Tim Riibe of Glenwood, IA, William Riibe, Venessa Riibe, and Amanda Riibe of Hastings, IA; great grandchildren Ryan, Alexandra, and Hannah Stone and Scott Smith; numerous nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.