Alice M. Esser
December 31, 1933 — January 15, 2015
Alice Mary Esser was born on December 31, 1933 to August and Mary (Kaufmann) Hastert on the family farm in rural Panama, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and attended St. Mary’s Catholic School in Panama.
She worked as a hired girl for area families babysitting, cooking, cleaning, and helping however she could until her marriage on February 9, 1954 to Herman Joseph Esser, Jr. They were married at St. Mary’s in Panama and then she became a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling. Alice and Junior became parents to five children: Kathryn, Joan, Jean, Ann, and Lyle.
Alice worked for a short time for the Altman Seed Company before staying home to raise her children and become a full-time farmer’s wife. She helped her husband in all aspects of farm life: raking hay, hauling in corn and hay bales, milking the cows, and raising hogs and chickens. They loved their farm and were thrilled when it was designated as a Century Farm.
She became a care giver to many of her older relatives as their health declined. She never slowed down and was still chopping wood in her early 60's. She loved being active and her biggest frustration was the limits her health put on her in the last couple of years.
Alice enjoyed spending time with her family, playing cards with her grandkids, and watching her Iowa Hawkeyes. She also loved working in her huge garden, cross-stitching, and completing jigsaw puzzles and doing word games.
Alice died on Thursday, January 15, 2015 at her home having attained the age of eighty-one years and fifteen days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Junior, one grandchild, and her brothers: August “Pete”, George, and Christopher Hastert.
She is survived by her children: Kathryn and her husband Richard Herrick of Charles City, Iowa, Joan and her husband Tim Christensen of Bennington, Nebraska, Jean and her husband Richard Musfeldt of Irwin, Iowa, Ann Clemons of Harlan, Iowa, and Lyle Esser of Earling, Iowa; fourteen grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sisters Anna and her husband Delbert Rueschenberg of Westphalia, Iowa and Rita Finken of Harlan, Iowa; brothers Jacob Hastert of Harlan and Joseph Hastert and his wife Georginna of Panama, Iowa; sisters-in-law Sophia Esser of Woodbine, Iowa and Caroline Esser of Logan, Iowa; other family members and friends.
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She worked as a hired girl for area families babysitting, cooking, cleaning, and helping however she could until her marriage on February 9, 1954 to Herman Joseph Esser, Jr. They were married at St. Mary’s in Panama and then she became a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling. Alice and Junior became parents to five children: Kathryn, Joan, Jean, Ann, and Lyle.
Alice worked for a short time for the Altman Seed Company before staying home to raise her children and become a full-time farmer’s wife. She helped her husband in all aspects of farm life: raking hay, hauling in corn and hay bales, milking the cows, and raising hogs and chickens. They loved their farm and were thrilled when it was designated as a Century Farm.
She became a care giver to many of her older relatives as their health declined. She never slowed down and was still chopping wood in her early 60's. She loved being active and her biggest frustration was the limits her health put on her in the last couple of years.
Alice enjoyed spending time with her family, playing cards with her grandkids, and watching her Iowa Hawkeyes. She also loved working in her huge garden, cross-stitching, and completing jigsaw puzzles and doing word games.
Alice died on Thursday, January 15, 2015 at her home having attained the age of eighty-one years and fifteen days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Junior, one grandchild, and her brothers: August “Pete”, George, and Christopher Hastert.
She is survived by her children: Kathryn and her husband Richard Herrick of Charles City, Iowa, Joan and her husband Tim Christensen of Bennington, Nebraska, Jean and her husband Richard Musfeldt of Irwin, Iowa, Ann Clemons of Harlan, Iowa, and Lyle Esser of Earling, Iowa; fourteen grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sisters Anna and her husband Delbert Rueschenberg of Westphalia, Iowa and Rita Finken of Harlan, Iowa; brothers Jacob Hastert of Harlan and Joseph Hastert and his wife Georginna of Panama, Iowa; sisters-in-law Sophia Esser of Woodbine, Iowa and Caroline Esser of Logan, Iowa; other family members and friends.
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