Dempster, Esther E. 1902-1996

DEMPSTER, COONS

Posted By: Viv Reeves (email)
Date: 1/24/2006 at 11:33:20

From the LeMars Sentinel, Monday, December 23, 1996, Page 2, Column 5:

Obituaries--Esther Dempster

Esther E. Dempster, 94, of LeMars, died Friday, Dec. 20, 1996, at Floyd Valley Hospital in LeMars.

Esther Elizabeth Coons was born July 24, 1902 in Roseville, Ill., the daughter of George and Margaret (McCurdy) Coons. As a young girl in 1909 she moved with her family to a farm near Edina, Mo. In 1933 she moved to LeMars and taught country school, and also helped to care for her sister's children after their mother died. She taught first grade from the early 1940's to her retirement in May 1967. She had taught at Clark and Franklin Elementary Schools. She was united in marriage to Robert Dempster in August of 1953 in LeMars. Mr. Dempster died April 23, 1955.

Mrs. Dempster enjoyed children, gardening, flowers and crocheting. She was a member of First United Methodist Church and had been a past president of the Business and Professional Women.

Survivors include two daughters, Margaret Norton of LeMars and Bonnie and her husband, Dick Kirkwood of Eau Claire, Wis.; two grandchildren, Denny Norton and Pam Owens, and one great-grandson, Bobby Owens.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; three sisters, Irene Corey, Wilma Dempster and Mildred Coons.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in LeMars with the Rev. Lynn Potter oficiating. Burial will be in LeMars Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today (Monday), at the funeral home.