Esther W. (Glandorf) Spoerl 1917-2011

SPOERL, GLANDORF, NEWKIRK, VOSS, RINIKER, BAHR

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 11/2/2015 at 19:01:36

Dubuque Telegraph Herald - December 16, 2011

SHERRILL, Iowa -- Esther W. Spoerl, 94, of Heritage Manor, formerly of Sherrill, died at 1:50 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, at Heritage Manor.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 19, at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Sherrill, with the Rev. Jesse Cearlock officiating. Burial will be in St. Matthew's Church Cemetery, Sherrill. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main St. Friends also may call after 10 a.m. Monday at the church.

Esther was born on May 30, 1917, in Williamsburg, daughter of Henry J. And Wilhelmina "Minnie" (Newkirk) Glandorf. After the death of her mother, her father married Emma B. Voss, of Sherrill.

She married Raymond John Spoerl on June 16, 1942, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Vinton. Together they farmed in Sherrill for 38 years. He preceded her in death on January 8, 1980.

Esther was a skilled seamstress, graduating from Snow's Dressmaking School in Chicago, and later owned and operated her own business in Vinton. After her marriage, she continued to sew for family and friends.

She was an active member of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Sherrill, where she was a Sunday school teacher for over 50 years. She was a past chairman of the Ladies Aid Association.

Esther enjoyed family gatherings, making crafts, oil painting and reading her Bible. She was a generous, loving and caring person.

She will be dearly missed by her sons and their wives, Ernest (Shirley) Spoerl, Dennis (Lynne) Spoerl and Ronnie (Jeanne) Spoerl, all of Sherrill; her "other son," Ric (Carolyn) Riniker, of Platteville, Wis.; a sister; Virginia Bahr, of Vinton; and a very dear, lifelong friend, Erma D. Nauman, of Sherrill; nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; step-mother; a sister in infancy; a daughter-in-law, Debra (Wagner) Spoerl; and a brother-in-law, Elwyn Bahr.