Erma Louise Oldenburg Ward, 91

Erma Louise Oldenburg Ward died Monday, May 4, 2020, at the age of 91, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She was born Aug. 2, 1928, in Pomeroy, Wash., to Virgie Mae (Koller) and Leo Otto Herman Oldenburg; the first of three children. The family lived on the farm on the Snake River on the Wawawai Grade Road, in Garfield County.

Erma and her sister, Maxine, walked two miles to attend the one-room, Long Glen School House, until she completed the fifth grade. The homestead was three miles to the top of the hill where the school bus picked them up to go into Pomeroy for grades six through high school. When the weather was bad, Erma stayed with her grandparents, Richard and Ollie Koller, and rode the bus to school.

Erma graduated from Pomeroy High School in 1945 and went on to Kinman Business University in Spokane, Wash. During this time in Spokane, Erma worked in the Paulson Building for a realty company. On weekends, she and a girlfriend would attend local dances. It was at one of those dances where she met her future husband, Darrel “Dick” Ward.

On Nov. 6, 1948, Erma married Dick in Clarkston, Wash. Initially, they settled in Spokane, where they both worked, but an opportunity came up for Dick to practice his vocation in a smaller shop, so they moved to Coeur d’Alene. In 1951, they bought the business and renamed it Lake City Radio and TV. They sold primarily Motorola products, but serviced all makes and models. In 1964, Erma and Dick bought the building and property on East Sherman Avenue in Coeur d’Alene. In 1988 they retired and closed the business.

Erma and Dick worked six days a week at the business, but managed to join bowling leagues, the Democratic Party in the area, keep up with both of their families and travel all over the western United States. The two big trips they both enjoyed were to Mexico City and Maui for the Motorola Conferences.

Erma is survived by her brother, Charles Oldenburg (Gwen) of Pullman and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick; parents, Leo and Virgie (Koller) Oldenburg of Pomeroy, and sister, Maxine Morgan (Lloyd) of Rosalia, Wash.

Due to the current quarantine, services will be limited to immediate family only. Memorial donations may be given in her name to the National Alzheimer’s Association for Alzheimer’s Research.