Esther (Lawson) Mapes (2010)

CLARK, LAWSON, MAPES, UEBLER, WILDER, WILLIAMS, HILL, CARTER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber (email)
Date: 1/8/2020 at 10:00:22

Earlham Advocate
Earlham, Iowa

Esther Mapes was born the daughter of Clyde and May Wilder Lawson on January 6, 1920 in Stuart, Iowa and died at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines on June 1, 2010 at the age of 90 years, 4 months and 26 days.

Esther graduated from Dexter High School in 1939 and immediately entered the Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She went on to teach country school near Lorimor, rural Madison and Adair counties for the next four years. Esther and Clarence Arthur Mapes were married August 18, 1942 in Olympia, WA. After Arthur returned from the war, he and Esther went into farming at the Lawson farm south of Dexter, where she lived the rest of her life. This union was blessed with two daughters Cathy and Connie. Esther was a member of the Mt. Vernon Methodist Church, and the Stuart Mt. Vernon Methodist Church. She was active in the Farm Bureau women’s sewing program, making suits and tailoring clothes. She was very active in her church and the UMW. Esther was an avid gardener and loved to wallpaper. She travelled to California and Colorado on a few occasions as well as to visit family in South Dakota. Esther enjoyed being a caregiver to numerous persons in her community. Following Arthur’s death in 1998, Esther was very determined to stay at home and maintain her independence.

Esther is survived by her daughters Cathy Clark & husband Charles of Perry, Connie Mapes of Menlo, grandson Clarence Uebler of Casey, brother Robert Lawson and wife Vivian of Dexter sisters Sylvia Williams of Stuart and Ruth Hill of Davenport, IA; brother-in-law Warren Carter of Stuart and sister-in-law Ardith Lawson of Stuart; three great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and friends.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Arthur, brothers Fred, Eugene and Roy Lawson and granddaughter Debbie Uebler.

Funeral services were held Saturday, June 5 at Stuart Mt. Vernon Methodist Church. Pastor Robert Dvorak officiated. Debbie Wilson accompanied on the organ. Special music was a Duet – Luke & Jill Eichner Brown, “Suppertime” & “Going Home” as well as a solo by Pastor Dave Kruse “The Lord’s Prayer.” Pallbearers were Lee Carter, Wayne Carter, Jack Lawson, Randy Lawson, Wade Lawson and Terry Benton. Honorary pallbearers were Bruce Lawson, Don Lawson and Gary Williams. Interment was at Dexter Cemetery.