Erma Zumwalt

Published 3:23 pm Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Jan 13, 1919 – July 17, 2022

Erma Margaret (Vickers) Zumwalt was born on January 13, 1919, to Harney County pioneer parents Jesse E. and Mary M. (DeMaris)Vickers. She grew up on their cattle ranch and was the 5th of 6 children. Three brothers, Earl, Lyle, Darrell, and two sisters, Velma and Velora. All attended school at Crane, driving the 13 miles to school in their ‘model T’ Ford. When the roads got so muddy and the ruts so deep that the model T would high center, they would move to Crane, moving back to the ranch as soon as possible in the spring.

Erma broke her own mustang to ride, and worked in the hayfields, with a team of 4 horses. At 16 her mother died, She and her 17-year-old sister became the cooks and housekeepers.

She married James Zumwalt October 28, 1946. They resided in Bend where Jim was a Bend City Policeman for 22 years. She was a homemaker, and bookkeeper working at Bend Storage and Transfer for 18 years, then for Bend Elks Lodge until her retirement in 1972.

She and Jim were avid outdoor sports enthusiasts, spending lots of time hunting, fishing, camping, and traveling in their RV and at their cabin on the Deschutes River. They enjoyed hunting with her brother Lyle who owned the ranch where she was born. She enjoyed all needlecrafts, pine needle basket weaving, playing pool, cards, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband James, all brothers, and sisters, companion Eugene Hinds, stepdaughter Carrol Zumwalt, Nieces Verna Irwin, Anita Smith, Roberta Campbell, Charlaine Sheppard, Beverly Vickers, and great niece/step-granddaughter Evelyn Vickers.

Survivors include stepdaughter Jane McLaughlin of Battle Ground WA, Nephews Eston Vickers and Ron Shepard, and many great, great-great, and great-great-great nieces, nephews, step-grandchildren, and cousins.