Thomas H. Erker

Erker, Thomas H, 61, loving husband, father and grandfather passed away Friday, July 5, 2013, following a courageous battle with ALS. Though this disease took over his body, it never touched his kind soul. Tom was born December 24, 1951 and graduated from Conway Springs High School. He married Terri Renner in 1975 and they lived in Conway Springs until moving to Wichita in 2001. He enlisted in the Kansas Air National Guard in 1969 and retired in 2000 as a Chief Master Sergeant. He then worked for the USPS until his ALS diagnosis in 2011. Preceded in death by parents Albert and Frieda (Roths) Erker, sister, Phyllis Crowell, and brothers-in-law, Jimmy Morris and Doyle Strate, father-in-law Ray Renner, nephew, Jason Fisher and niece Madeline Renner. Survivors include his wife, Terri Erker; son Adam (Abbie) Erker of Wichita; daughter Ashlei (Drew) Matthews, of Conway Springs; grandchildren, Hunter, Cooper and Parker Matthews, and Grace Stewart; brothers; Jim Erker of Wichita, and Mike (LaDonna) Erker; sisters, Carol (Pete) ONeal, Sharon Morris, Margaret (Mike) Willson, all of Conway Springs and Karen Strate of Wichita; mother-in-law, Rosemary Renner Kessinger (Bob) of Wichita; sisters and brothers-in-laws, Gail and Reid Cranmer, Margie and Bill Unrein, all of Wichita, Maribeth Sonnier of Dallas, Texas, John and Lisa Renner of Valley Center, and Jim Crowell of Conway Springs. Memorial service will be 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at Downing Lahey Mortuary West. Inurnment to follow at Resurrection Cemetery with a Kansas Air National Guard Honor Guard tribute. A memorial fund has been established with the Paralyzed Veterans of America, 5500 East Kellogg, Wichita, Kansas, 67218.