Emma J. Branham,

Emma J. Branham, 70, Nevada, Mo., died Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, at Nevada Regional Medical Center following a sudden illness. She was born June 23, 1933, in Nevada, Mo., to Earnest William Earll and Jean Viola Perry Earll.

Emma grew up in Nevada and graduated from Nevada High School in 1951. She lived and worked in California for 15 years as a telephone operator before moving to the Philadelphia, Pa., area where she lived before coming to Nevada in 1978. She worked for Missouri Public Service for 18 years until her retirement in 1996. She later worked for Ramsey's Motel in Nevada until December 2003. She attended the Community Christian Church of Nevada.

Survivors include three sons, Steven Branham, Douglassville, Pa., Michael Branham and Gregory Branham, both of Nevada, Mo.; three grandchildren, four brothers, Joseph Earll, Springfield, Mo., James Earll and Earnest Earll, both of Nevada, Mo., and Leroy Earll, Monett, Mo.; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Jan. 9, at Newton Burial Park, Nevada, Mo., with the Rev. Wes Anderson officiating. Friends may call now and until 1:30 p.m., Friday, at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, Mo., and the family receives friends 7 to 8 p.m., on Thursday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be given to the Community Christian Church or the Nevada Senior Center Building Fund in care of Ferry Funeral Home.