Erma K. Fitch

Erma K. Fitch, 80, of Ponca, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2020.  A Celebration of Life Visitation will be from 2:00 to 6:00 P.M. Saturday, September 26, 2020 at Jackson Legion Hall.  

Erma Kaye Dean Ebaugh Fitch, daughter of Emory and Bonnie (LaVon Keyser) Dean, was born April 8, 1939, near Walthill, Nebraska. After living on a farm near Allen, Nebraska, the family moved to South Sioux City in 1952, where she graduated in 1957.

She married Brad Ebaugh on March 14, 1957. From this union was born Kristel Ebaugh and Jason Ebaugh. She married Don Fitch on October 16, 1970. From this union, Amy Fitch was born.

She worked as a legal secretary for Mark Ryan and later Doug Luebe in South Sioux City. After she and Don were married, she served as his legal secretary until he passed away. She also worked at the Dixon and Dakota County Courthouses.  She worked at Ponca State Park and after retirement, she volunteered for the annual outdoor expo held there.

Erma was a hunter, trapper, and gardener, anything that involved the outdoors. She often had deer and turkeys outside her windows. She loved to see the newborn calves at Amy and Randy’s farm. Her other loves were her grandchildren, Bailey McCoy and Bradley Ebaugh. She loved watching softball and track, or any sport in which they participated. She was an avid Nebraska Cornhusker fan and usually had a shirt on displaying her love.

She is survived by her three children, Kristel “Kristi” Ebaugh (Larry) Schulte of Ponca, Nebraska, Jason Ebaugh and Michael Schmidt of Austin, Texas, and Amy Jo Fitch (Randy) McCoy of Ponca, Nebraska; grandchildren, Bailey McCoy and Bradley Ebaugh; her siblings, Joanne Wasmund Hammack, Marilyn Dean Tallman, and Arlen (Ruth) Dean, and many special cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bonnie and Emory Dean; spouse, Donald Fitch; two brothers, Klemett Dean and Conrad Dean; and two nephews, Kelly Wasmund and Michael Tallman.

Memorials may be made to Ponca State Park for tree or flower plantings in her honor.  Please make checks payable to Better Ponca Foundation.