Erma Frances Gibber, of Alexandria, passed away on April 29, following a short illness. She was 87. Her husband, Philip F. Gibber, passed away earlier in the year. Born Erma Sinowitz on June 6, 1933, in Liberty, N.Y., to Ethel and Henry Sinowitz, she excelled academically and was a talented pianist. After graduating from Liberty High School, she studied sociology at Boston University and earned her master’s degree from the School of Social Work at Columbia University. After interning at Mt. Sinai Hospital, she began her career in psychiatric social work at the Brooklyn State Mental Hospital and then worked at the Rhode Island State Mental Hospital.
Erma met Philip, then a naval aviator, at a bar mitzvah in the Catskills. They married in 1957 and eventually moved to Alexandria, where Erma held a position at the Alexandria Mental Health Center. Erma is survived by her daughter, Jere, and son-in-law, J.G. Harrington; sons, Eric and Joel; and her brother, Barry Sinowitz. Contributions may be made to the Jewish Chaplain’s Fund at Fort Belvoir, the American Red Cross or the National Museum of Women in the Arts. dignitymemorial.com
