Erma Eileen Gandy

Erma Eileen (Yarger) Gandy, 100, of Kansas City North, passed away on Friday, March 29, 2024 at The Oxford Grand in Kansas City, Missouri. Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 AM on Friday, April 5, 2024 at Park Lawn Northland Chapel, 1640 N. 291 Hwy. Liberty, MO 64068. A visitation will be from 10:00 – 11:00 AM prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Glenridge Cemetery in Liberty, Missouri.

Erma was born on December 29, 1923 in Centralia, Kansas to Clyde Christian and Laura Frances (McCaig) Yarger. She was the sixth of eight children and grew up in Centralia and graduated from Centralia High School. She earned her Teacher’s Certificate and taught in one room school houses in rural Kansas.

At the end of World War II, Erma was at a dance where she met Selbert Ray Gandy. On February 22, 1950, the two of them were united in marriage in Topeka, Kansas and were married for 72 years, and continued dancing together until Selbert’s passing in 2022. Together they had two daughters, Carol and Janis. While living in Topeka, she worked for the Santa Fe Railroad until 1953. The family moved to Atchison, Kansas in 1959. They lived there until 1963 when they moved to Kansas City. They remained there the rest of her life. Erma worked as a New Neighbors Hostess for the New Neighbor’s League for many years and welcomed many Kansas City Northland families to their new community. She also played Canasta and Bridge with the New Neighbors Card Club. In 2017, Selbert and Erma moved into the Oxford Grand and remained there until their passing. 

Erma loved to travel with Selbert, go on walks, crafts, was a wonderful seamstress. She loved cooking, putting together jigsaw puzzles, and reading. What she loved the most was her family, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Erma and Selbert both were very active physically and mentally throughout their lives and were always willing to help, no matter what was needed. Big or small, you could always count on them.

Erma was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Laura Yarger; her husband, Selbert Gandy; grandson, Chris Lafferty; and 6 siblings. She is survived by her daughters, Carol Powell and her husband Kenny, and Janis Richardson and her husband Mark; granddaughters, Shannon Crowley and husband Mike, and Crystal James and husband Brad; great grandchildren, Ethan Crowley, Dawson Crowley, Treven Crowley, Taylor James, Josiah James, and Aslan James; and her sister, Audrey Chestnut.