Esther (Bechtel) Fish Carolan - 1916-1998

BECHTEL, REUTKEMEIER, FISH, CAROLAN, BAUMLER, EHRHART

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 7/21/2011 at 14:43:35

SOURCE: Waukon, Iowa WAUKON STANDARD, March 4, 1998
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. for Esther Marie Carolan, age 81, of Waukon, Iowa on Friday, February 27 at the First Presbyterian Church in Waukon with Rev. Larry Olson officiating. Burial was in the Lansing Ridge Cemetery, rural Waukon, Iowa with Martin Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Casket bearers were Donald Fish, Floyd Baumler, Gary Gress, Troy Gress, Tim Gress, and Henry Rissman.

Esther Marie was born December 6, 1916 on the rural Lansing farm of her parents, Arthur and Minnie (Reutkemeier) Bechtel. Her father died when she was very young and she was raised by her mother and step-father, Freemond Bechtel. Esther attended rural Allamakee County schools. On November 4, 1936 she married Donald Fish in Lansing, Iowa. He died in 1965 and in 1972 she married James Carolan. Esther did housekeeping for area residents and for many years was a cook at an area sale barn. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

Esther Marie died Wednesday, February 25, 1998 at the Good Samaritan Center in Waukon, Iowa. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by two stepsons, Bob Carolan and Howard Carolan, and a brother, Elmer Bechtel.

Surviving are 2 sons, Bob (Patricia) Fish of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Dale (Donna) Fish of Rainbow City, Alabama; a step-daughter, Joyce Baumler of Rochester, Minnesota; 2 step-sons, Leo Carolan of Spokane, Washington, and Jim of Keosauqua, Iowa; 5 grandchildren, 20 step-grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren; and a half-sister, Edna Ehrhart of Burlington,, Iowa.