Erma J. (Anderson) Sivertson

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 3, 2022 at Glenwood Lutheran Church with Rev. Krista Lee officiating. The funeral service will be livestreamed on Glenwood Lutheran Church's website. Visitation will be Friday, September 2nd from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the funeral home in Glenwood and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery.  Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. 

With sadness in our hearts, but joy for sweet release into heaven, we announce that Erma Jean Sivertson passed away. She is the sweetest and kindest person that we know. We honor her now and forever.

Erma Jean (Anderson) Sivertson, 83, of Glenwood, Minnesota, passed away on Tuesday morning, Aug. 23, 2022, at home.

Erma was born on Nov. 26, 1938, in Maddock, North Dakota, to Erling and Johanna (Hove) Anderson. She was raised in South Dakota and graduated from High School in Wahpeton, North Dakota. She attended Concordia College in Moorhead, the University of Minnesota-Morris, and Saint Cloud State University where she got her Bachelor degree and Masters degree in Speech Pathology. Erma married Richard Sivertson on June 20, 1958. They lived in West Fargo, North Dakota for four years before moving to Glenwood in 1964 where they lived for the past 58 years.

Erma worked as a Dental Assistant for Larry Irgens, D.D.S. for three years. She worked as a Speech Pathologist and as a Speech Coordinator for Sauk Center Public Schools until 1991. All through this time she also raised three amazing sons. Erma was a salary negotiator for the faculty of the Sauk Center School District. She was well loved by her students and her fellow faculty members.

Erma had a passion for family, friends, Bible study, singing, good food, church, travelling, and theater. She loved her family and friends unconditionally.

Erma was a member of Glenwood Lutheran Church. She sang in Praise Band, Senior Choir and as a soloist. She served as a Church Deacon and a Stevens minister supporting the church community in many ways.

Erma and Richard lived and traveled together for 64 good years. They visited Israel, Jordan, and Egypt in 1985; Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands in 1987; both of which they did with Erma’s father Erling. Erma and Richard traveled extensively throughout North America, Central America, and Europe and always enjoyed visiting family and friends.

Erma and Richard met studying Theater at Concordia College and they continued acting and performing together for the rest of her life. Erma and Richard were founding members of the Minnewaska Showstoppers. In college Erma performed in “Arsenic and Old Lace”, “The Importance of Being Earnest”, “Arms and the Man”, “The Glass Menagerie”, “The Inspector”, “Marco Millions”, “Hedda Gabbler” and “Macbeth”. In Showstoppers Erma performed in “John Brown’s Body”, “South Pacific”, “Oklahoma”, “My Fair Lady”, “Li’l Abner”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, “The Night of January 16th”, “Lilies of the Field”, “Sound of Music”, “Gypsy”, “You Can’t Take It With You”, “Damn Yankees”, and “Fiddler On The Roof”. For the Alexandria Area Arts Association Erma performed in “South Pacific”. In Steve Nestor Productions Erma performed in “Arsenic and Old Lace”, “A Christmas Carol”, and “When’s Steven Coming To See Me”. In one-woman shows, Erma performed in “She Gathered Her Geese” and “Kate Smith”. As Artistic Director for Minnewaska Showstoppers Erma directed “Plaza Suite”, “Crazy For You”, “My Fair Lady”, “Nunsense I”, and “Nunsense II”. Her favorite roles were Bloody Mary in “South Pacific”, Mother Superior in “Sound of Music”, Golda in “Fiddler on the Roof”, and Mrs. Higgins in “My Fair Lady”.

Erma is survived by her husband Richard; her three sons: Daniel of Littleton, CO; Glenn (Shirley) of Elbow Lake, MN; and Randal (Kate) of Arlington Heights, Il; five grandchildren: Ruth, Adam, Aaron, Luke, and Sarah; ten great-grandchildren; her brother Leroy (Joyce) Anderson; and many nephews and nieces.

Erma was preceded in death by her parents, Erling and Johanna Anderson; her brother Stanton Anderson; and her son Niel.

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