Tommie Jo Erst, 79

Tommie Jo Erst, 79, a resident of Post Falls, passed away on Oct. 3, 2014, at Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Tommie Jo was born on Dec. 19, 1934, to Leon and Estella Thomas in Ardmore, Okla. She was the middle of three children. Her parents were officers with the Salvation Army.

The Thomas family moved all over the country during Tommie Jo's childhood.

She graduated from Harper High School in Chicago, Ill.

Over the course of their travels the Thomas family connected most to North Idaho, and eventually settled in the Bonners Ferry area. Tommie Jo took some courses at the University of Idaho and also attended Wright Junior College in Chicago.

While in Chicago, Tommie Jo met Adolph R. Erst. The two were married on Nov. 24, 1960, in Chicago. The couple retired to North Idaho in 2003.

Tommie Jo was a lover of wild plants and nature study, enjoyed fly-fishing, silversmithing and lapidary. She was a gifted singer and loved playing her baritone ukulele. Although she spent some time as a phlebotomist, she also became a certified gemologist after attending courses at the Gemological Institute of America. In her years as a homemaker she served as PTA president and a Girl Scout troop leader.

Tommie Jo was a member of Sky Prairie Church in Post Falls, Idaho, and was active at the Post Falls Senior Center and the North Idaho Mineral Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Adolph Erst; her parents Leon and Estella Thomas; and her brother, Leon Thomas.

Tommie Jo is survived by her three children: Winnie Fitzgerald (Ed), Ray Erst (Lucy Walker), and Edwin Erst; two granddaughters, Sarah and Laura Fitzgerald; and her sister, Lawana Ingle (Don).

Her beautiful smile and adventurous spirit will be fondly remembered in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Tommie Jo's name to the Nature Conservancy at my.nature.org/donate.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. today, Oct. 7, at English Funeral Chapel, 1700 N. Spokane St., Post Falls. She will be laid to rest aside her husband at the Wild Rose Cemetery in Kendrick, Idaho.

English Funeral Chapel has been entrusted to handle final arrangements.

Please visit Tommie Jo's online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.