Erma Burley

Erma Jean Burley, locally known as Sister Erma Jean Thomas Chambers was accepted into the gates of Heaven on February 12, 2019.  As she moved toward the light, her family set quietly at her bedside.

Erma Jean was born on February 23, 1942, to Mr. Henry and Mrs. Cora Ruby (Christmas) Thomas in Bastrop County.  Erma Jean had a strong Christian foundation, accepting Christ at an early age and was baptized.  She enjoyed singing and praising the Lord.

Erma Jean travelled the great lands of the United States, leaving home at the age of thirteen; she moved to Midland, Texas and graduated high school.  She had the opportunity of living with her older siblings in New Mexico and Los Angeles, California before settling in Oakland, California.  She worked as a bus driver for AC Transit for seventeen years. Never losing her footprints in Texas or heart for Jesus, Erma Jean was called to the ministry in 1998. Erma Jean enjoyed her family time and loved her church.  After retirement she returned to Austin, then in 2014, to Elgin. Finding her roots, she united with the family home church, Mount Moriah Baptist Church. After a short period, she moved her membership to Mount Carmel Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Byron Green, her little cousin.  There she served and participated with the church until her health begin to fail. Minister Chambers supported the church until her death.

After witnessing for the Lord, Minister Chambers’s last testimony was noted and she will be joining those preceded her in death, naming her parents, her siblings: Alfred, John L., Edward, Ruthie Mae, Altha, Mary Lee, Ella, Willie, Reverend James Henry and Katherine.

Sister Chambers was blessed with seventy – six years and she leaves in God’s hands to cherish her precious loving memories: one brother, Reverend Isaiah Thomas and wife, Jackie, three sisters, Ernestine Owens, Mary Jo and her husband, Reverend James Brice, and Lorine Davis; one sister – in – law, Alta Marie Thomas, and four generations of nieces and nephews with a multitude of other relatives and friends including the Mount Carmel and Mount Moriah Church family.

~Precious Lord, lead me HOME…