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Erma June Lacey Hyers, Wife, Mother, Teacher, Elder and Beloved Child of God, died at age 88 on Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Johnson City, Tenn. She was born on Bear Cage Road, in Roan Mountain, to the late Fletcher and Mattie Lacey.
Erma worked her way through Carson-Newman College and East Tennessee State University. While teaching in Kingsport, Tenn., she met and married the new Presbyterian minister in town after catching his eye in the school office. They soon moved to Loafer’s Glory, N.C., shortly before the birth of their son, David Bradley. While raising a rambunctious little boy, they returned to Tennessee to care for aging parents.
Later in life, she graduated with a Master’s in Special Education. With love and baffling creativity, she taught those designated at the time as having “Multiple Handicaps.” She wasn’t much for using labels as limiters and instead approached each child moment to moment, eye to eye, movement to movement, maximizing each potential.
Erma had a bone-deep faith most fully alive in her love of family, friends, and students. She served as a member and retired Elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Johnson City. She could be singularly alight with exuberant, mischievous, tenacious love.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved cousins, Judge Arden Hill, June Hill Morton and Reverend Jack Hill.
Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of 55 years, Reverend William “Bill” Hyers; son, Reverend David Prentice-Hyers (Reverend Mary Elizabeth); two grandsons, Finlay and Angus Hyers; and many extended family members and friends.
A Service of Worship in Witness to the Resurrection will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Johnson City, with Reverend Maggie Rust and Reverend Mary Elizabeth Prentice-Hyers officiating. The family will receive friends between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m., prior to the service on Sunday. The graveside service and committal will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, March 20, at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be selected from family and friends. Those who wish to attend the graveside service are asked to meet at the cemetery at 1:45 p.m. Monday. Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers may make donations to Alzheimer’s Tennessee Inc., 5801 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Online condolences may be shared with the family and viewed on our website at www.hathawaypercy.com.
Hathaway-Percy Funeral and Cremation Services are honored to serve the Hyers family. Office: (423) 543-5544.