Emma Ola Perry Michael passed away peacefully on January 21, 2018 at her home. She was born on July 2, 1914 in Bethlehem, Georgia, the oldest of four children of the late Ernest Stephens and Ruth Sims Perry.
After graduating from Winder High School she enrolled at the State Normal School in Athens where she received her teaching credentials. While at the State Normal School, Miss Moina Michael was her house mother. In later years she received her degree in Education from the University of Georgia.
Emma began her teaching career at Bethel, a two room school in Barrow County consisting of six grades, where she taught for two years. At times she was the only teacher responsible for students in all six grade levels. In 1936 she married Herman C. Michael from Oconee County and continued her teaching career in 1938 at the Carithers School and taught there for 29 years. When the schools were consolidated in Oconee in 1967, she transferred to Oconee Elementary where she remained until her retirement in 1974. Emma was honored by the Oconee County Board of Education in 2007 by being inducted into the Oconee County School Hall of Fame.
For the past 80 years she has been a faithful member of Bethabara Baptist Church where she was active until the past few years. She particularly enjoyed her years teaching an adult Sunday School Class.
Emma was predeceased by her beloved husband Herman C. Michael, two brothers, Dr. Ernest Arch Perry, Walter Perry, and a sister Naomi Ruth Perry Stambaugh. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Herman Perry Michael and Patricia Cagle Michael; two grandchildren, Paul Herman Michael (Alisa), and Claire Michael Buck (Keith); two great grandchildren, Emmaline Perry Michael, and Camille Katherine Michael.
Funeral Services will be held on January 27, 2018 at 2:00 with visitation at 1:00 at Lord and Stephens West with Rev. Dr. Rob Bray officiating. Interment will follow in the Bethabara church cemetery. The family requests that donations in her memory be made to Bethabara Baptist Church, 4651 Monroe Highway, Statham, Georgia.
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