Erma Maloney

Erma Lee (Barker, Foster) Maloney, 88, died on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at her home, Woodland Terrace of Carmel, Carmel, IN.

She was born in St. Louis, MO to Henry Ira Edward Barker and Leola Beatrice (Price) Barker on August 7, 1936. She had a sister, Shirley Faye ( Byerley) Rambo who was born on the same day in 1934.

Erma lived and was educated in St. Louis, MO.

She attended Southeast Missouri State University where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. She received a Bachelor of Arts in teaching.

After college, Erma taught middle and high school in St. Louis, MO for a few years. She chose to receive an advanced degree, so she put herself through Colgate University in New York where she received a Masters in Biology in 1964.  She was in one of the first classes of females to graduate from Colgate!

Shortly after graduating, she met and married Jack Foster. She moved to Alton, Il and taught at North Middle School then moved to Alton High School where she taught Biology for many years until her retirement in 1990.

She married Jack Foster on June 14, 1969 and was married to Jack Foster until his death on July 7, 1996.

In 1997, she met Jack Maloney. They married on November 27, 1998 and she was married to Jack Maloney until his death on December 28, 2008.

She is survived by a niece, Diane (Byerley, Nowak) McKinney and her husband Terry of Cripple Creek, CO., Diane's son, Charles Drake, a nephew, Dennis Byerley (who passed away in 2011) Dennis' children names are: Timothy and his wife Shelby Byerley, Travis and husband wife Jennifer Byerley and Tara Byerley.

Stepchildren from her marriage to Jack Foster are Kathy (Foster, Bunting) Wolff of Alton, IL, Kristine Narup of Las Vegas, Mark Foster of California.

From Jack Maloney, she has 6 stepchildren, Lou Ellen (Maloney) Markovitch and her husband Don of Springfield, IL Janet (Maloney) Donnelly and her husband Tim of Phoenix, AZ, Jack Maloney and his wife Lin of Morristown, TN, Tom Maloney and his wife, Carol of Galesburg, IL, Jean Ann Maloney of Carmel, IN and Linda (Maloney) Maurer and her husband, Dave, of Carmel, IN.

Erma has 13 stepgrandchildren and 24 step great grandchildren from her marriage to Jack Maloney.

Erma has 11 step grandchildren 14 step great children and 1 great great grandchild from Jack Foster.

She was preceded in death by her parents (Ira in 1972 and Leola in 1949) , her sister Shirley Faye (Byerley) Rambo in 1982 and her nephew Dennis Byerley in 2011.

Erma was very involved in her community, listed below are a few of her accomplishments:

• Named a Woman of Distinction in Alton, IL in 1994
• Alton Community Service president
• PEO president and member for several years
• First Presbyterian Women’s Group
• United Way
• MCA Board
• Alton Women’s Home Board
• St. Anthony’s Hospital Board
• United Methodist Village Resident Council and Board Member
• Duck Plucker’s, Deer Skinners and Fish Hookers Ball organizer and volunteer for many years.

Erma enjoyed music, she played the piano by ear and sounded like she had lessons all her life. She valued exercise, working out 2 hours per day until recently. Erma used to pick up trash when she walked because she had pride in her city. One time, a person stopped to ask her how long she had to pick up trash, he thought she was on parole!! That was always a funny story she shared!

The family would like to thank the kind and caring staff at Woodland Terrace of Carmel Memory Care and the wonderful staff of Anchors of Hope Hospice Care. Also a thank you to Amada Senior Care and all of the wonderful caregivers we had for Erma.

Her service will be on Saturday, August 9, 2025 at Elias Kallal & Schaaf in Godfrey, IL. Visitation will be 1pm- 3pm with a service following at the funeral home. Burial will follow at City Cemetery in Alton, IL.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St Anthony’s Hospital of Alton, IL, First Presbyterian Church in Alton, IL, Anchors of Hope Hospice, Carmel, IN or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Online condolences and guestbook may be found at www.eliaskallalandschaaf.com.