Lifelong Gove resident, Earlene (Bretton) Steerman, passed away Monday, July 14, 2014 at Gove County Medical Center. She was 81 years of age.

Earlene was born July 25, 1932, the daughter of Earl and Hazel Della (Hannaford) Bretton, in Gove, KS. On October 25, 1953 Earlene was united in marriage to Russell Steerman in Gove. They enjoyed 18 years of marriage together until Russell's passing in 1971. Earlene graduated from Fort Hays State University with a B.S. in Elementary Education. She dedicated 35 years of her life to teaching, 1 year in Quinter with the remaining years in the Gove and Wheatland school districts. Earlene was an avid reader and also loved arts and crafts and sewing. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma, the Ladies American Legion Auxiliary and Gove City Library Board.

Earlene will be missed by many friends and family who were very important to her, including two sons Robert and wife Lisa of Grainfiled, Kansas and David and wife Diane of Wamego, Kansas; one daughter Deborah and husband Dale Heideman of Alta Vista, Kansas; one sister Beula Wilson of Gove, Kansas; seven grandchildren Robin Steerman, Travis Steerman, Dustin Steerman, Shelby Getz, Denise Heideman, Diana Ehrlich, Darren Heideman; and ten great grandchildren Ashley, Bradley, Corey, Emily, and Gregory York, Austin Steerman, Layne and Layton Getz, Kaylee and Fayth Ehrlich. She was preceded in death by her parents Earl and Hazel, her husband Russell, and brother Earl Bretton Jr.

Services for Earlene will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 18, 2014 at the Gove United Methodist Church, with Norma McNair officiating. Interment is in Gove City Cemetery.

Visitation will be Thursday, July 17, 2014 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Schmitt Funeral Home in Quinter, KS.

Memorials are suggested to the Gove City Library and can be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 S Main, Quinter, KS 67752.

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