Aileen M. Erdmann

Aileen Marie Erdmann of Westerville, Ohio passed away on October 20, 2019. With her indomitable spirit and love of her family, Aileen lived life to the fullest for over a century, celebrating her 100th birthday this past April surrounded by four generations of her family.


Born Aileen Marie Souder on April 18, 1919 in North Platte, Nebraska she was the first child of Amelia Anderson Souder, daughter of immigrants from Sweden, and Joseph L. Souder, a local businessman and farmer who owned the first Ford Motor Company dealership west of the Mississippi River.

She attended North Platte public schools were she was active in music, theater and sports before entering the University of Colorado, Boulder. Aileen had planned to study music but was persuaded by her father to major in home economics. But her love of music was sustained throughout her life as she sung in church choirs, community choirs and with friends until she was close to her 100th year. Her love of Colorado was also sustained throughout her long life, often returning with her family and to visit college friends.


Aileen met her husband, Charles A. Erdmann of Milwaukee, Wisconsin while representing her college at an intercollegiate conference in Lawrence, Kansas. They were married in 1940 and raised five children while living in Milwaukee and, later, near Detroit, Michigan. Those children were Lawrence of Fairfield, Connecticut; Nancy (deceased), John (deceased), Robert (deceased) and David of Westerville. Her husband Charles passed away in 1967.

Aileen's life was full of all the things she cherished: family, music, books, bridge and countless friends. Her love of reading led her to become a librarian in Birmingham, Michigan and brought that passion to Westerville when she moved to Feridean Assisted Living, serving as their librarian to the end of her life. Her love of bridge, learned in college and continued throughout her life, was a source of pride and enjoyment, playing at Feridean twice a week until her passing.

Above all else, Aileen loved visits with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who filled her life with joy, as she did theirs: Jana and Phil Dobrowski of Columbus, Ohio, their two boys, George and Alex; John Hager of Columbus; Lindsay Erdmann and her husband Robert of Yarmouth, Maine and her children, Samantha, Andrew, and Cooper; Nils Erdmann and his wife Sarah of San Rafael, California and their children, Evelyn, Wyatt and Nora; Karl Erdmann and his wife Lexie of Wilton, Connecticut and their children Samara and Stanley; Brooke Erdmann and her husband James Au of Los Angeles, California and Christian Erdmann of Key West, Florida. Aileen is also survived by daughter-in-law Susan Bonner Erdmann, son-in-law Virgil Hager and a nephew Vincent Hedges.


Aileen was loved by all who knew her, her bright smile and warm, gracious personality bringing joy at every encounter.

A memorial service will be held at Feridean, 6885 Freeman Road, Westerville, Ohio at 11:00am on November 10th.

In lieu of flowers, please send any gifts in memoriam to First United Methodist Church, 1589 W. Maple Road, Birmingham, MI 48009 Attention: Music Office.


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