The McPherson family matriarch was Born January 31, 1926 in Morenci Michigan to William Hall and Vera Fern (Parliament) Hall. She passed peacefully on March 2, 2024 at the age of 98. The family returned to the familiar surroundings of Rose City soon after her birth. There the family raised three girls; Judy, Alta Jean and Betty. The girls had a wonderful childhood in Rose City. Many great memories were made while living in the Parliament House on Grant Street. As the years went by, it was there she began to raise her own family. While growing-up in Rose City there were many winter walks to the West of town. At the Slater Hill they loved to ski and ride their sleds or they could walk to the park for some ice skating. At the Rose City Community Building they enjoyed roller-skating. Summers were filled with walks to the park to swing, play tennis watch the ball games and fireworks. It was one Saturday night while dancing at the Rose City Community Building that she met the love of her life, Elmer McPherson. On September 12th of 1942 they secretly eloped to Pinconning to be married. Together they raised three boys who attended the Rose City and West Branch schools, Jim, Joel and Todd.
When Alta was a little girl, one of the popular radio programs was Asher Sizemore and Little Jimmie. The family bought or made her a cowgirl costume and she performed one of their songs (“I want to grow up to be a cowboy”) on stage at the Graceland Ballroom.
Alta Jean loved her home and family. She had much enjoyment playing her piano (especially “The Tennessee Waltz”), cross-country skiing and GOLF! She couldn’t wait to get back on the different local courses. She has recorded at least TWO HOLE-IN-ONE’s. In the August 24, 2006 issue of “The Ogemaw County Herald” the following article on Holes-in-One included this: “Alta McPherson, 80, of West Branch scored a hole-in-one recently on the 103-yard No. 12 hole at West Branch Country Club. McPherson used an 11-wood for her perfect shot. This was her second hole-in-one. Beverly Williams witnessed the shot. McPherson shot an 18-hole score of 110.”
Alta Jean graduated from West Branch High School in 1943 and loved to attend the annual Alumni dinners with Elmer and later with her son Jim and cousin Burt Parliament.
Alta Jean is preceded in death by her parents, both sisters and her husband Elmer. As her family grew she worked in several jobs beginning with the telephone switch-board in West Branch where she worked with both of her sisters. She later worked at West Branch High School in the office. As time went by she was employed at the Ogemaw County Building. She is survived by her three sons Jim (Joie) McPherson of Royal Oak, Joel (Patsy) McPherson of Richmond VA and Todd (Cindy) McPherson of Horseshoe Lake. She also has 6 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held in her honor on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 1:00pm at the Steuernol & McLaren Funeral Home in West Branch, MI. Friends and family may visit beginning at 12:00 until the time of the service.
Her ashes will be laid-at-rest with her husband Elmer’s ashes at Brookside cemetery in West Branch.
In Lieu of Flowers memorial contributions may be given to the Shriner’s Childrens Hospital Foundation. www.lovetotherescue.org
