Erma K. Yengich

Erma K. Sponga Yengich was a devout Catholic, a fiesty, stubborn and strong Italian, and a master storyteller who people were drawn to like a magnet. Most importantly, she was the heart and soul of a large family she loved dearly and prized above everything. She died six weeks after she turned 95. She died peacefully at home, after hearing from or seeing each of her loved ones. She showed gratitude for her many blessings and love for those around her, up until her last breaths.

She was born Feb. 24, 1925, just five years after her parents, Bartolo and Annetta Sponga, left their homes in northern Italy and set sail for Ellis Island for a better life. They were bound for Highland Boy, Utah, where they raised Erma and her two older sisters, Carmela and Gigita Louise, in the Kennecott Copper company town. Bartolo worked for Kennecott underground and as a watchman, and Annetta took in laundry from bachelors to make extra money.

Erma grew up during the Great Depression, living in a house her father built, using the cellar to keep food cold, sharing a bed with her sisters. They grew up poor, but Erma often shared fond memories of her childhood: She played kick the can, sled down snow hills and played the accordion. She and her sisters would don white socks and smash grapes in their father's homemade wine vat and collect aspen branches on Sunshine Peak for wintertime heat. One day she found a silver dollar and her mom let her buy her only doll. As a girl, she loved spending time at the Highland Boy Community House, run by the Methodist Church. Erma often talked about the Deaconess Ada Duhig. Duhigg, who ran the center and taught the kids to cook and sew, took them roller skating and on hikes, even driving them to go swimming in the old Wasatch Plunge on Beck Street in Salt Lake City in a cleaned-out garbage truck.

Erma's hometown was eventually swallowed up by the copper mine, but her memory of her life there remained sharp. She became a sought-out expert for the families who came from Bingham Canyon.

She met the love of her life, Nick Yengich, in Highland Boy. Erma's sister, Carmela, liked him first and instructed her to save him a seat on the school bus. Erma did, and complained that he was a tease. However, the two quickly became a couple. Erma and Nick loved to go dancing and to school events. World War II accelerated their courtship. Nick enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1942 and gave Erma an engagement ring before he left for his training. They were married March 11, 1943, at City Hall in San Francisco, where he was stationed. It remained their favorite city. She was known often to repeat the saying that she "left her heart in San Francisco." When she returned alone to Utah, she was proud to work during the war as a flag woman at Utah Copper. Later, her stubborn nature came through when she insisted on getting a job; she proudly worked in data processing at Eimac for 20 years.

After Nick and Erma retired, they bought a motor home and traveled the country; those trips remained as some of Erma's happiest memories.

Erma and Nick eventually made their home in White City, where they raised their children, Kay, Nick, Ron and Linda. Many of Nick's family members also purchased homes nearby. The families stayed close, celebrating holidays and birthdays together. The most memorable holiday to celebrate was always Christmas, with each family traveling from house to house sharing their own special foods. Erma's house would be filled with the scent of sarmas, a traditional Yugoslavian cabbage roll. She always made enough to share with neighbors and extended family. In recent years, the job was passed on to her daughter and granddaughters, with Erma diligently supervising the process.

Erma's home was a place of gathering, celebrations, and so many joyful memories. Erma kept her history, family, husband, and son alive with her many stories. She spent countless hours researching her history and compiling priceless photo albums. One of Erma's talents was her crocheting. She considered it therapy, making afghans for her children and grandchildren, and baby blankets for each great-grandchild, her "little fellas." She showed love through cooking and sharing veal scallopini, polenta and stew, spaghetti, apple strudel, deviled eggs and fried chicken.

Erma lived by the rule that if one thing was worth buying, then buying a dozen was even better. She was always looking for gifts to stockpile for her great-grandkids. But her giving extended beyond her family. She never wanted anyone to go hungry and she always bought extra food to give to food banks.

Erma, whose parents were Catholic, was baptized in the church before she and Nick were married. She was a beloved member of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Sandy for nearly 50 years. Whenever she went shopping, she would find children's clothing on sale to donate to parish charities. She especially loved donating her prized baby blankets and hats to the church; countless babies have been comforted by her crochet work. A deeply spiritual person, Erma loved to pray. She always kept a rosary close by, offering prayers for everyone she knew and for those in need.

Erma loved spending time with her 10 grandchildren. She had a special relationship with them all; each knew they were her favorITE. She thanked the Lord daily that she was able to see them grow up and that she could know her 15 great-grandchildren. She rocked each baby singing "Nanna, Nanna Belle Popine."

For Erma, growing older meant continually growing. She waited until her late 60's to travel for the first time to Italy, and her 70's to buy her first computer, and master genealogy software, tracing the roots of her family, a pastime she truly enjoyed. In her 80's she joined the world of social media and was thoroughly entertained by the photos and conversations she could have with loved ones far and near. Even in the weeks before her death, she learned to use Facetime to converse with her family during social isolation.

She loved to garden and maintain her yard, especially in the spring. She had strong opinions about politics, liked to swear in Yugoslavian and Italian, and threatened to give her grandchildren 40 lashes with a wet noodle. When she was happy, she threw back her head of beautiful silver hair (she faithfully went to her beauty operator every week) and laughed. She always expressed how thankful she was for her family, her health and her long life.

She's survived by her children Kay (Jim) Jordan, Ron (Kay), Linda (Randy) May and daughter-in-law Karen; 10 grandchildren Phil (Ellen) Jordan, Mark (Jen) Jordan, Annette (Erik) Nielsen, Heather (Chad) Derum, Natalie (Dave) Young, Chelsea May, Alex (Jackie) May, David (Adrienne) Nelson, Lisa Nelson, Mathew (Toni) Nelson; and 15 great-grandchildren (with 1 on the way) Gabrielle (27), Emma (24), Nick (21), Jillian (19), Evan (17), Eli (12), Jack (12), Milo (10), Luke (10), Abram (8), Margot (5), Greyson (4), Henry (4) Autumn (2), and Jensen (2).

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Nick Yengich; her two sisters, Carmela Cameron and Gigita Louise Perelle; her son, Nick; and her granddaughter, Michelle.

In honor of Erma-known as Mama, Ermski, Nonna and G'erm-plant red geraniums, vote, give food to the hungry and count your blessings.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a private funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 16, at Blessed Sacrament. It will be live-streamed through the parish. At a later date, the family will hold a mass in Erma's honor and a celebration to honor the life of this amazing woman.