The Superior Express -

Mary Erma Mazour, 95, formerly of Wood River, died last Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, at the Good Samaritan Society in Grand Island at the age of 95.

The funeral Mass was at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Wood River.

Erma Gilsdorf was born in Lawrence, on July 23, 1926, the oldest of six children to George and Helen (Curry) Gilsdorf. In 1946, she married her high school sweetheart, Ervin Mazour, in a joint wedding ceremony with Ervin's sister, Rose, and her husband, Francis Theis. In 1956, she and her husband moved their family to a farm near Wood River in order to avoid the uncertainties of dry land farming. They raised their six children there.

Family was everything to Erma and her husband, Ervin, who died in 2000. They had children in public schools for more than 30 consecutive years, and made a point of attending sporting and other extracurricular activities for their children. Until recently, Erma continued this tradition with her grandchildren.

She is survived by five children, Tom and Carol Mazour of the Villages, Fla., Barb and Chuck McTavish of Wood River, Gary and Denise Mazour of Bennington, Mike and Phyllis Mazour of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Scott and Darbie Mazour of Grand Island; daughters-in-law, Susan Shaneyfelt and Chris Mazour; her brother, Jack (Jan) Gilsdorf of Omaha; 15 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Erma was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; their sons, Ervin Jr. and Jim; and her siblings, Peg, Dot, Kay and Jim.