Erma Jean Ballenger Evans, of Marshall, passed from this life on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at 2:15 a.m.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Monday, July 21, 2025, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall with Larry Button officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Sweet Springs. Visitation will be from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to family choice and an online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com.
Born March 21, 1940, at home in rural Blackburn, MO, she was the oldest daughter of 13 children, born to the late Ora Ballenger and Mattie Saylor Ballenger.
Erma attended the local country school and was raised on the farm. She was always busy with chores and caring for her siblings. In 1959, Erma moved to Marshall where she met her husband, Charles Evans, while employed at International Shoe Factory. They were together from that point on and married on January 18, 1960, in Marshall.
From their marriage, they had seven children: five daughters and two sons. Erma lived most of her life in the Saline and Cooper County areas where she was employed by Kraft Food, Banquet Foods, miscellaneous restaurants and nursing homes as head cook.
Due to health issues, she completed her working career with McGraw Edison Company when she retired in 1980. After retiring, Erma and family moved to Oklahoma and lived there until 1987, when they moved back to Marshall. In 1989, Erma and Charles purchased their property in Mt. Leonard where they built their home from the ground up together.
They lived there for several years and enjoyed their retirement working on their home, gardening, family events, and big family dinners on special occasions. Erma remained in their home after Charles’ passed on July 6, 2001, and moving to The Living Center in 2020.
Erma was known as Momma, Gramma, Ma-Ma, Jeanie or Erma Jean by all who knew her. She loved cooking, baking, sewing, crafts, bingo, cards, country music, home building projects, flowers and gardening.
Erma is survived by five daughters: Diana Evans of Marshall, Debbie Evans of Mt. Leonard, Denise Johnson (Donnie Rehkop) of Sweet Springs, Jeanette Rigatti of Marshall and Melissa Evans of Sweet Springs; one son, James Evans of Blackburn; 27 grandchildren; 59 great-grandchildren; 8 great-great-grandchildren; as well as many other relatives, friends, and the staff at The Living Center.
In addition to her parents and husband, Erma was preceded in death by her son, Dennis Ray Evans; daughter-in-law, Sherri Jones; a grandson, Jaron Boren; as well as many sisters, brothers, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.