Erma Schriver
Sept. 13, 1924 - June 21, 2018 Resident of Santa Clara
Erma L. (Hinnenkamp) Schriver, a longtime resident of Santa Clara, Calif., passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 21, 2018. She was 93.
Erma was born September 13, 1924 in Melrose, Minn., where she spent the entirety of her childhood. Her father passed away in 1928, leaving Erma’s mother widowed with five children at the onset of the Great Depression. This left a lasting impression on Erma, as the resilience and strength she gained during these difficult early years would become something she drew heavily upon throughout her entire adult life.
Erma enrolled in nursing school at St. Gabriel’s School of Nursing in Little Falls, Minn. in 1943, before later transferring to Hibbing Junior College in Hibbing, Minn. In 1944, Erma enlisted in the United States Army and immediately put her newfound nursing skills to use as a member of the Cadet Nurse Corps. Erma always spoke fondly of her early career in nursing, as it provided her with an incredible amount of hands-on experience working with service members and veterans returning from WWII.
Erma was introduced to the love of her life, James J. Schriver, on a trip to Yosemite. As Erma was then stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., and Jim was serving in the U.S. Navy at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the young couple was limited to visiting one another on weekends. Jim and Erma married on Sept. 14, 1951 — only after Erma secretly left Fort Bragg and flew to Norfolk to do so.
Erma left the Army in 1956 with a final rank of First Lieutenant. Her husband’s Naval service sent the couple to duty stations across the country, including Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake, Calif., and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Oahu, Hawaii. The Schriver Family eventually settled down in Santa Clara, Calif., in 1957.
Because Jim’s career often required long periods of absence away from the home, Erma became primarily responsible for raising the couple’s eight children — a task she undertook while also working night shifts as a registered nurse at Kaiser Hospital in Santa Clara. Despite the difficulties of this arrangement, Erma was very proud of her nursing career and professional accomplishments. She retired from Kaiser after 28 years.
After their children were grown, Erma and Jim spent much of their time traveling — including completing a successful trip around the world in the late 1970s. The couple also enjoyed vacationing with their children and grandchildren, hosting large family gatherings at their home in Santa Clara.
In her later years, Erma remained active in her community and several local organizations, including Fleet Reserve, American Legion and the Ladies Auxiliary, as well as serving as a volunteer at Kaiser Hospital, where she previously worked. A devoted Catholic, she was a regular presence at St. Lawrence the Martyr in Santa Clara, where she and her husband were founding parishioners, and she also volunteered as the school nurse. Erma also enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, whom she eagerly taught how to cook treasured family recipes, how to sew — and, most importantly, how to play dominoes.
Erma is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 63 years, James J. Schriver; her parents, Mary Ann Zirbes Hinnenkamp and Aloysius “Alex” Hinnenkamp; and her brothers: Albert, Eugene, Donald, and Arthur.
She is survived by her eight children, their spouses and families: Janell (Ron†); Diane; James (Terry); Robert (Kimberly); Mary Ann (Robert); Carolyn (Mario); Tracy (Bill); and Alex. She will be especially missed by her 12 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren: Eric, Ryan, Steven, Jason, Kevin, Lauren, Lindsey, Olivia, Katrina, Jacquelyn, Megan, Julia, Brody, Shelby, William, Harrison, Henry, Stella, and Lucas. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Santa Clara on Saturday, July 14 at 12:00 p.m., followed by a luncheon reception.. Interment with military honors will take place at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos on Monday, July 16 at 10:30 a.m.