Erma Deane Whinery Batton, age 96 1/2, died on Sunday, January 29, 2017 at her Jackson, TN residence.
Erma was born on July 1, 1920 in De Baca County, New Mexico, the daughter of the late James Bryant and Mollie Cartledge Whinery. She graduated first in her class from Indianola High School in 1936 and from Mississippi Delta Junior CollegeShe was married to J.C. “Boots” Batton on July 4, 1943. She and her husband moved to West Tennessee in 1944 to work with Pure Oil in Dyersburg and Ridgely, TN. They returned to Indianola, MS in 1953 where she worked for the Bob Shaw Seed Company, the former Indianola Bank now known as Planters Bank and Trust Company and retired for the Indianola Production Credit Association in 1982. She remained a member of the Indianola First United Methodist Church in Indianola, MS and enjoyed doing needlepoint, knitting and crochet as well as playing Bridge with friends. Her family was her life and she took great joy and caring for their needs.
She is survived by her twin daughters, Barbara Sue Batton Souder and Linda Lou Batton Gray both of Jackson, TN and one grandson, Bryant Batton Gray of Brunswick, GA.
Erma was also preceded in death by Boots on May 18, 1990 and son-in-law, Don E. Souder, Jr.
SERVICES: A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, February 3, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church in Indianola, MS with the Rev. Stephen Sparks officiating. Burial will follow in the Indianola City Cemetery.
The family will be receiving friends prior to the service from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM at the Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church, PO Box 86 Indianola, MS 38751 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
