Thomas Herman “Tom” Esser 1942 - 2016

MILLER, ESSER, HOFFMANN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen - volunteer (email)
Date: 6/11/2016 at 01:19:10

Mapleton Press
19 May 2016

Thomas H. “Tom” Esser, 73, of Ute, Iowa passed away Wednesday, May 11, 2016, at the Denison Care Center in Denison, Iowa.

The Funeral Mass will be Saturday, May 14 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Charter Oak, Iowa with Rev. Tim Bockelman officiating. Burial will be in St. Clair Cemetery at Ute, Iowa. A Vigil Wake Service will be held at the church at 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 13 followed by visitation from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Armstrong Funeral Home of Ute has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Thomas Herman Esser was born May 27, 1942, to Tony and Leona (Miller) Esser in a farmhouse at Dunlap, Iowa. He grew up in the area and graduated from St. Joseph High School in Dunlap and furthered his education by attending Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

On February 9, 1963, Tom was united in marriage to Joyce Hoffmann at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Dunlap. At that time, Tom was employed at the Dunlap Co-op and then they moved to Harlan, Iowa and was employed at the Co-op there. He soon became Assistant Manager of the Co-op at Sibley, Iowa and for 29 years, Tom was the Manager at Berne Co-op in Ute, Iowa. While managing there, Tom envisioned diversification in the business and was instrumental in building Berne Co-op’s Ampride Truck Plaza in Denison, Iowa, a successful accomplishment.
Tom and Joyce moved to Tyndall, South Dakota where he managed the Co-op for one and a half years. He also served as interim Manager of the Co-op in Colton, South Dakota and the Salix, Iowa Co-op. For five years before retiring, Tom managed the Taygold Co-op in Clearfield Iowa where he also opened the Taygold Community Store.

Along with all this, Tom also became an Independent Agent for the Hoffman Agency and did taxes for H and R Block in South Sioux City, Nebraska.

Tom was a true businessman and loved his work. He was still actively following up on his business arrangements right up until just a couple days before his passing.

Volunteerism was important to Tom and his years of service to the Ute Community Club, the Loess Hills Hospitality Association, and the Ute Ambulance Service where he was active as an EMT and held the office of treasurer.

He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ute. He enjoyed time spent playing cards and above all loved time shared with family and friends.

Those family members left to embrace their loving memories of Tom are Joyce, his wife of 53 years; his four children, Richard Esser and his wife, Paula of Denison, Iowa, Sue Kelm and her husband, Brent of Ute, Iowa, Linda Hester and her husband, Bill of Elkhorn, Nebraska, and Roger Esser of Ames, Iowa; nine grandchildren, Leah (Nate) Lingren of Grimes, Iowa, Niki Esser of Des Moines, Iowa, Kristi Esser of Ankeny, Iowa, Matthew (Samantha) Kelm of Mapleton, Iowa, Zachary (Justine) Kelm of Hornick, Iowa, Natasha Kelm of Ute, Iowa, Tyler Hopp of Omaha, Nebraska, Amber Hopp of Elkhorn, Nebraska now attending college in Seward, Nebraska, and Kayla Hopp also of Elkhorn, Nebraska; seven great grandchildren, Sophie Kay Lingren and Charlee Ann Lingren, Raylyn Katherine Jean Kelm, Max Louis Kelm, Henry Barnes Kelm, Rowan Michael Kelm, and Barrett Thomas Kelm; one sister, Marilyn Prichard and her husband, Ray of Council Bluffs, Iowa; one brother Mike Esser of Onalaska, Wisconsin; nieces and nephews and other extended family members.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; one grandson, Jared Michael Kelm; and one great granddaughter Allie Samantha Kelm.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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