Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Alma Emerson


Alma (Sis) Clippard Emerson died in her home early December 15th.  Born January 22, 1924 in Detroit MI, Alma, older brother John and parents Lois and Lloyd moved to Flint in 1927.  Brother Tom was later born. 
Alma loved music and was lead soprano in ‘Gypsy Rover’ her senior year at Dye school.  Scholarships and several jobs supported Alma while she was in the accelerated program at Michigan State Normal College.  Younger sister Katy was born.  After earning a BS in English with minors in Fine Arts and History, Alma began teaching and sang in the Midland Women’s Choir and Flint Community Chorus.  Six years later, she accepted a teaching position in Linz, Austria at a US dependent school that had been Gestapo headquarters.  Alma met, fell in love and married Allmon Emerson, an Army Captain from the 510th Field Artillery Battalion.
They left Europe to live in Ft. Sill, Anchorage, Memphis and Wilmington, NC.  After Em retired, he, Alma, children Becky, Libby and Tommy, the cat Ruthie and dog Mike moved to Oklahoma. Alma taught fifth grade at Panama four years and fifteen years at Wister.  She retired in 1986, but never lost interest in education and her passion for opera.
Alma is survived by her three children, four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and many cool relatives.    
Graveside services, 1pm Saturday, December 19th at Wister City Cemetery.
    Donations may be made in Alma's name to Habitat for Humanity or St. Jude's Children's Hospital.


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