Emma L. Vetter, age 86, passed away peacefully in Reno, NV on March 30, 2022.
Emma was born in July of 1935 at her parent’s ranch on the Nevada Oregon state border.
She was one of fourteen siblings. Emma completed high school at Crane Union High School in Oregon.
She met her future husband, Jack Vetter, at a dance in Lovelock, NV.
They were married in Winnemucca at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on January 28th, 1956.
They had four children, Walt, Joyce, Eric, and Jackie, and raised them in Winnemucca until 1977 when they moved to Portola, Ca. Emma lived there until 2019 when she moved to Reno to be closer to family.
Emma loved to cook, and she would always have a seat at the table for family, friends, and whomever else may need a good meal. It gave her great joy to share her delicious home cooking and make sure everyone was full, and had a cookie or two for dessert.
Caring for others came naturally to Emma, she volunteered at the Eastern Plumas Hospital in Portola as a candy striper.
She also enjoyed being part of a bowling league as well as the womens’ golf club. Emma had such a green thumb that once, her sister gave her a cutting from an ivy, and she planted it upside down, but it proceeded to thrive and encircle her kitchen.
She also enjoyed camping, fishing, and traveling.
Emma was a strong willed basque woman and lived her Catholic beliefs of integrity and kindness everyday of her life.
She was happiest in her (very warm) home playing cards with family and friends after enjoying a great meal together.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jack Vetter and her parents; Joe Erquiaga and Josephina Rementeria, as well as her siblings: Howard, Tuffy, Paul, Juan, Katherine, Josephine, Bessie, Gerty, Mickey, and Mary Jane (Pokey).
She is survived by her siblings: Ernie, Flossie, and Ruth, as well as her children: Walter Vetter (Tami), Joyce Vetter (Alyse Miluck), Eric Vetter (Mayelen Garijo), and Jackie Vetter, and her grandchildren: Jordan Vetter (Micah Mendiola), Dean Vetter (Tasha Vasquez), Keegan Vetter, Isanne Vetter, Dakota Blaha and Connor Blaha. Emma also had a great granddaughter, Rogan Mendiola.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 14th at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church of Reno (1138 Wright Street ) at 12:00pm followed by a reception at the McKinley Arts and Culture Center, 925 Riverside Dr. Reno, NV.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Access either their website- stjude.org or call (866) 298-3208, to donate to the Emma Vetter Memorial fund.
