Erma (Steinbeck) McAllister
Erma Helen (Steinbeck) McAllister, 96, passed away on Friday, March 28, 2025 at her home in Mendon, MO. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at Breshears Memorial Chapel in Mendon, MO at 11:00 A.M. Pastor Mike White will officiate the service. A visitation will be held prior to the service at the funeral home on Wednesday from 10:00 – 11:00 A.M. Burial will be in Mendon Cemetery in Mendon, MO.
Erma was born on May 9, 1928 in Mendon to John F. and Elsie (McPherson) Steinbeck. She attended Mendon grade school and graduated from Mendon High School in 1946. After High School she lived in California with her brother John and later worked in Iowa.
On February 21, 1948, Erma married George Lloyd McAllister of Mendon at the Little Brown Church in the Vale in Nashua, IA. They settled on their farm southeast of Mendon, where she resided until her death.
Erma was a homemaker. She loved gardening, her iris, and being outdoors. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed canning produce, making sweet pickles and catsup. She sewed, embroidered and quilted. She was part of the Mendon Army Mothers post and Siloam Chapel Quilting group. She fed many hummingbirds in the summer and other birds in the winter. Erma enjoyed her grandchildren and spending time with them. The grandkids loved the stories she told about her childhood.
Erma was a Christian, quite the Bible scholar, and was a valuable resource to anyone’s biblical questions.
Survivors include four daughters, Shirley Leppin (Richard) of Mendon, MO, Margaret Prewitt (Doug) of Pleasant Valley, MO, Jenny Sapp (Randy) of St. Joseph, MO, and Laura McAllister of Columbia, MO; one daughter-in-law, Lura McAllister of Jefferson City, MO; ten grandchildren, Dan Laws (Corie), Nick Laws, Kali Leppin Terzo (Greg), Caleb Prewitt, Jared Prewitt (Allison), Eric McAllister (Sarah), Ryan McAllister, Kate Sapp Gilmore (Alex), Rachel Sapp Kaufman (Robbie), and Madison Sapp; eleven great-grandchildren, Zack Mills (Devin), Mason Spencer (Chandler), Kiera Neidholdt, Thomas Prewitt, Charlotte Prewitt, Samuel Prewitt, Oliver Priest, Evelyn Priest, Hannah Kaufman, Mac Kaufman, and Bennett Gilmore; two great-great-grandchildren, Maxwell Spencer and Kohen Mills; and she is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Erma was preceded in death by her parents, John and Elsie; her husband George of 54 years; two sons, Steven Lee McAllister in 1973 and David Alan McAllister in 2023; one grandson, Benjamin Caleb Laws in 1996; and nine siblings.
Pallbearers will be her six grandsons, Dan Laws, Nick Laws, Caleb Prewitt, Jared Prewitt, Eric McAllister, and Ryan McAllister. Honorary pallbearers will be her four granddaughters, Kali Leppin Terzo, Kate Sapp Gilmore, Rachel Sapp Kaufman, and Madison Sapp.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations to Mendon Cemetery or Family Choice. Donations may be left at or mailed to Breshears Memorial Chapel, 207 W. Broadway, Brunswick, MO 65236.