Emma Babb

Emma Louise Babb 81, died on December 9, 2012 at the Sienna Rehabilitation Center and Home after a long battle with Alzheimers.

Emma, as she was known in Texas and Louise, as she was known in California, was born June 15, 1931 in Mountain View, Oklahoma to Ira T. and Lysta Fine Shorter. Emma grew up and went to school in Hobart, Oklahoma with brothers Tom and Bob, and sister Faye.

As a teenager, Emma moved to Gardena, California and stayed there for a short time and then moved back to Hobart.

In 1949, while working as a waitress in Hobart, a man came walking across the street and Emma told her coworker, that is the man I am going to marry. On July 2, 1949, Charles E. Babb Jr. from Columbus, Kansas and Emma were married in Grapevine, Texas, just two short weeks after they had met that day in the diner.

Charles and Emma had a child, Charles L. on July 29, 1950. Shortly after Chuck was born, Charlie moved his new family to Eagle Mountain, California to work for Kaiser Steel Corporation. Charlie and Emma had two more children, Margaret Ann and Michael Allen during their time in California.

When the youngest, Michael was about 12 years old, Emma went to work as a school bus driver for Desert Center Unified School District, a position she held until 1978. Emma touched many young peoples lives as she performed her job as an exemplary bus driver. She was very caring of her charges and was a positive role model to nearly every student that rode her bus. Emma also drove the local sports teams, band, and students to many of the games, parades and field trips that the school participated in.

Charlie had a stroke in 1977 and medically retired from Kaiser in 1978, Emma also retired from the school district. Charlie and Emma had a 5th wheel trailer and did some travelling for awhile until they decided to move to Odessa, close to their oldest son, Chuck. Shortly thereafter, Ann moved to Odessa as well. Emma also drove a school bus in Odessa for many years before medically retiring. During this time, their youngest son was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army.

Emma and Charlie used to deliver newspapers for the Odessa American while residents of Odessa. They did this for several years, along with their daughter Ann.

They sold their 5th wheel rig and bought a place on West McCoy, where they lived until Charlies health started to decline even further. In 2008, Charles was placed in residence at Sienna Rehabilitation and Care center. Emma joined Charlie at Sienna in 2009, due to her declining health.

Charles passed away on January 7, 2010. Emma was predeceased by husband Charles, daughter Ann, her soninlaw George and granddaughter Lynda, as well as, her mother, father, brother Tom, brother Bob, and sister Faye.

Emma in survived by sons Chuck Peggy Babb from Midland, and Michael Rebecca Babb from Mesa, Arizona. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and 4 great, great grandchildren.

Internment was held Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at Sunset Memorial Gardens and Cemetery, where she joins the loves of her life, Charles and Ann, as well as Anns husband, George Borunda.

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