Erika Elisabeth Raney
Cremation and arrangements are with Coffman Funeral Home in Jasper.
Erika Elisabeth Raney, age 83, went into the arms of her Lord Jesus Christ on Sunday, Sept. 13 (2020) after losing her battle with lung cancer. Erika was an only child, born on Jan. 3, 1937, in Lengfeld, West Germany, to Johannes and Marie (Hallstein) Weiss.
After completion of her academic studies, she attended advanced schooling for business entrepreneurship and fashion design for four years. Erika was amazing at drawing patterns and creating just about anything her mind could imagine — from simple clothing to formal wear, but her specialty was pant suits. No matter where you saw Erika, she always appeared dressed for a special occasion.
After meeting and marrying her husband Earl in Germany in 1963, Erika was fortunate enough to be a stay at home mom. She loved her children tremendously and never allowed them to go to school without a hot breakfast. In her later years, she discovered she had a natural talent for oil painting. She created many beautiful paintings. Some of which she sold, but most of them were hung in her home or passed on to family and friends to enjoy. Before becoming ill, Erika loved being outside and working with her flower garden — another of her many design talents. Erika’s motto in life was that she owned nothing; all she had was what God had given her to care for and she was to make it as pleasing to the eye as possible. She also served for a time as president of the local EH Club and was a member of the Mt. Sherman Assembly of God church for 40 years.
Erika was preceded in death by her parents, mother and father-in law, and two sisters-in law, Kathryn Hicks and Margaret Kelley.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Earl Ray; two children, Gary and Angela Raney, of Mableton, Georgia, and Linda and Bill Simpson, of Columbus, Ohio; two grandchildren, Reygan and James Barker and Raychel Simpson; a very special great-grandson, Emmett Barker, all of Columbus, Ohio; special surrogate daughter, Susan Nichols, of Everton; and sister-in-law and brothers-in law, Pauline and Larry Madewell, Gary Hicks, Ronnie Daniels and Doyne Kelley.
Erika enjoyed reading novels in her down time so in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her memory to the Boone County Library at 221 West Stephenson Avenue, Harrison, AR 72601.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Mt. Sherman Assembly of God gymnasium with Reverends Raymond White and Jerry Patton officiating. Social distancing will apply and we ask that you please wear a mask. If you do not have one, masks will be available at the gym.
Cremation and arrangements are with Coffman Funeral Home in Jasper.
Online condolences may be left at www.coffmanfh.com .
