Emma Lucille Eitel Meier, former resident of 1222 Scott Avenue, fell asleep in Jesus on Wednesday, February 07, 2007, at Fort Scott Manor. Emma was born September 12, 1918 in Tampa, Kansas the daughter of Samuel J. and Katherine Marie Wagoner Eitel. She was united in marriage to George Meier on December 1, 1938 at Newton. Their marriage was blessed with a son, Delmon of Wenatchee, Wash.., daughter Darla Crays, Fort Scott; three grandchildren, Delana Carr of Ellensburg, Wash.., Denton Meier of Wenatchee, Wash., Darren Crays, Fort Scott and one great-grandson, Jakob Crays, Fort Scott.

Emma devoted her life to working beside her husband as a farm wife, a carpenter's helper and a loyal church worker. She was a faithful member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with local membership at the Hepler Church and also attended in Fort Scott after their move to town. During her life, she filled countless positions and leadership rolls in her beloved church. Emma graduated from Tampa, Kansas High School in 1936. Her ambition was to be a nurse but at that time very few girls were able to pursue higher education. Her entire live was spent working for a serving others, particularly in the medical field.

When they married, George worked for a farmer/rancher for $1 per day and a house to live in McPherson County. They were very frugal with their money, and by 1941 they had saved enough for a down payment on 80 acres near Canton. Over the period of their farming years, they acquired another 400 acres and rented additional acres as well as raising beef cattle, hogs, milking cows and raising chickens. They lived on that farm until ill health forced them to leave in 1958. They sold their farm and machinery and moved to Walla Walla, Wash. where they lived for three years. In 1961 they purchased a 400 acre farm 1 1/2 miles northwest of Hiattville where their daughter Darla and husband Delbert now live.

From 1958 to 1963 Emma worked in several nursing homes and hospitals in Washington and Kansas. Following these rewarding years, she decided to go to school to become a Nursing Home Administrator. In 1963 the couple became administrators of the new nursing home in LaCygne. In 1965 they became administrators of the new Fort Scott Sunny Valley Nursing Home now know as Guest Home Estates VI. They stayed there 8 years, retiring early to become full-time farmers again. Survivors include a son, Delmon Meier; daughter Darla Crays and husband Delbert; three grandchildren, Denton Meier, Delana Carr and Darren Crays and wife Myrna; two great-grandchildren, Monica Carr and Jakob Crays; three sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Helmer, Hillsboro, Irene Eitel, Salina, and Rhoda Eitel of Arizona; many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband George in March, 2006, her parents, two brothers, one sister, daughter-in-law Marilyn Meier and a great-grandson, Christopher Carr.

The Rev. Arthur Schumacher will conduct funeral services at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Hepler Seventh-day Adventist Church and may be sent to Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701.