Erma Ruth Prentice

Erma was born October 19, 1929, in Inman, Kansas, the daughter of Frank and Kathryn (Ratz) Quiring. She was raised in Newton, Kansas and attended classes in a 1-room schoolhouse where a teacher would tell her she would make a good teacher one day.

Erma moved to Bethany, Oklahoma to attend college at Bethany Nazarene College (Southern Nazarene University) and it was here that she met her future husband, Carl Prentice, in the chapel as pew-mates. Erma and Carl were married December 23, 1952, and were married for 61 years until Carl passed away in 2014.

Erma loved to teach and was even awarded Teacher of the Year. She received her Master’s Degree in Education, from Southern Nazarene University and was a life-long member of Williams Nazarene Church. When Carl and Erma first got together, she would play the accordion, and they sang together. She also sang in the choir at church.

She loved her family and was a woman of strong faith who loved God. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She taught her children to love God and to rely on His strength.

After teaching, she helped Carl in their lawn business and together they stayed active. She laughed at his jokes, and they enjoyed being together. In her free time, she loved to embroidery, read, have family dinners and family vacations. Her church family was also very important to her.

In addition to Erma’s husband Carl preceding her in death are her brother Franklin Quiring and his wife Joan, brother Don Quiring and his wife Frida, sister Betty Sawrie, sister, Rose Rogers and her husband Norman and son-in-law Steve Ralph.

Erma is survived by her children Judy Ralph, Paula McUen and her husband Bob, Carla Tate and her husband John and Brenda Teague; sister Marcella Jantz and her husband Bob; grandchildren Peter Ralph, Andrew Ralph, Katie McCrath, Micholl Griggs, Michelle Griggs, Melissa Teague, Alayna Hunnicutt; and 13 great grandchildren; caregivers Aly Aubrey, Melissa Teague, Michelle Griggs, Micholl Griggs, Carla Tate, Brenda Teague, Judy Ralph, Paula McUen.

Memorial donations may be made in Erma’s name to Williams Church of the Nazarene.