Irene Ermel

Irene Ermel

Irene Ermel, age 105, a resident of Bronson, Kan., died Monday, Nov. 28, 2016, at the Allen County Regional Hospital in Iola, Kan. She was born Nov. 9, 1911, in Mapleton, Kan., the daughter of George Washington Howerton and Rebecca Hays Howerton. She married Ernest William Ermel on Jan. 22, 1930, at Mound City, Kan. Irene was a devoted wife and mother. She raised big gardens to supply the needs of her family. She also enjoyed cooking and backing and was known for her homemade breads and cinnamon rolls. She also liked to quilt and sew and tend to her flowers. She was a member of the Xenia Baptist Church where she served as a Sunday school teacher. In later years, she attended the Bronson Baptist Church.

Survivors include her four children, Carlene Rubicam, of Smithville, Mo., Barbara Woodward (Richard), of Bronson, Kan., Cheryl Stewart (Ivy), of Cypress, Texas and Fred Ermel, of Moran, Kan. Also surviving are nine grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren. Her husband, Ernest, preceded her in death in January of 1996. She was also preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Samuel and Robert Howerton; two sisters, Beulah Bruner and Opal Ferguson and a great-great-granddaughter, Ryenne Hicks.

Rev. Tom Waters will conduct funeral services at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Bronson Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Bronson Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 1 p.m. until service time at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Bronson Baptist Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Bronson Chapel, 501 Pine St. P.O. Box 93, Bronson, KS 66716. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.