Racine – Erma Jean Odems, age 66, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family, on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Erma was born in Hazen, Arkansas, on August 15, 1954 to Harrison Odems and Erma Lee Hathaway. Erma Jean and her mother moved to Racine when Erma was an infant. She began her childhood on the northside of Racine where she formed many relationships and became the big sister, protector, and mentor of many of her friends and peers.

At age 18, she decided to head to Job Corps to get her diploma which she later received in an adult GED program. Erma was an entrepreneur at 39 years old, opening her very own daycare which she named after her late mother, "Bigma's Daycare". Erma enjoyed taking care of her mother, Erma Lee Knox, and the elderly. She was a licensed Certified Nursing Assistant for over 30 years, serving others in that way until the day she died. She loved pool, darts, cooking, and dancing, dancing, dancing. She truly enjoyed every second of her life.

Surviving are her three children, Leewauna (Jesse) Epps and  Martise Odems, of Racine, and Chartrice (Charles) Pearson-Gates of Georgia; her siblings, Abbot (Jeanette) Griffin, Leetha Griffin, Lawrence Griffin, Cornelius "Neal" Griffin, and Caroline Griffin; her grandchildren, Ashley, Takoya, Terri, Antanisha, Cier, and Ermeesha; seven great-grandchildren; her godchildren, Brandon, Renault, and Davion; special friends, William Lewis, Dorthey Williams, Barbara Brown, Martha Goss, Peggy Price, Debbie Jones, Audrey Swoops and Shirley Bell; a host of nieces and nephews, including special niece and nephew, Tequana Sanders and Dennis Griffin.

Preceding Erma in death were her Mother and Father, Erma Lee Knox and Harrison Odems; brothers, Calvin and Floyd Griffin; sister, Rosetta Griffin; cousin, Gwen Hall; and niece and nephew, Yolanda and Brian Golden.

A celebration of Erma's life and homegoing will be held on Thursday, April 1, 2021, 11:00am, at Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home and Crematory, 4600 County Line Road.  Visitation will be from 9:00am until the time of the service.  Burial will follow at Graceland Cemetery.

Service Details

A celebration of Erma's life and homegoing will be held on Thursday, April 1, 2021, 11:00 am, at Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home and Crematory, 4600 County Line Road.  Visitation will be from 9:00am until the time of the service.  Burial will follow at Graceland Cemetery.

The service will be available for live streaming on Thursday at the following link:

https://youtu.be/T54SGM_QgEM

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