Bigler, Esther (Larson) 1918 - 2014

BIGLER, RAMLO, BRINK, WITZKE, BERGE, LARSON, ELLINGSON, KUENE, HOLLARAN, HAYES

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 10/18/2014 at 12:46:36

Esther Bigler, age 96, of Decorah, IA, died on Thursday, October 16, 2014, at the Aase Haugen Nursing Home in Decorah, IA.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 24, 2014, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1638 Big Canoe Road, rural Decorah, IA, in Locust with Rev. Nancy Solomonson and Rev. Stacey Nalean-Carlson presiding. Burial will be in the Locust Cemetery, Locust, IA.

Friends may call from 4:00-7:00 p.m., on Thursday, October 23, 2014, at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, 604 South Avenue, Decorah, IA, and also after 10:00 a.m., at the church on Friday morning.

Esther is survived by her five children: Mildred (Bernell) Ramlo, Decorah, IA; Lucille (Gary) Brink, Postville, IA; Janice (David) Witzke, Minneapolis, MN; Dennis (Sue) Bigler, Decorah, IA, and Kristi (Mark) Berge, Decorah, IA, along with eleven grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren.

Further arrangements are pending with Schluter – Balik Funeral Home in Decorah.

Source: Schluter - Balik Funeral Home database
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Second Obit submitted by John Matter

Esther Bigler, age 96, of Decorah, IA, died on Thursday, October 16, 2014, at the Aase Haugen Nursing Home in Decorah, IA.

Esther Marie (Larson) Bigler was born on July 31, 1918, the daughter of Lars J. and Isabelle (Ellingson) Larson, on the home farm which is on the Winneshiek/Allamakee county borders. Esther was baptized and confirmed at the Canoe Ridge Lutheran Church. She lost her mother when she was seven years old, and went to live with relatives. She attended rural country school. On December 18, 1934, she was united in marriage to Roy John Bigler in Waukon. They lived and farmed together on the Bigler, Ottney, Ellingson and Anderson farms. Esther lived on the farm until 1990, when she moved into Decorah for twenty years, before she entered the Aase Haugen in 2010. For all of her life, Esther enjoyed quilting, embroidering pillowcases and tablecloths. Many of which were donated to St. John’s Lutheran Church, as well as all of her children and grandchildren. Esther also enjoyed playing crazy rummy with the neighborhood ladies, and making lefse during the holidays. She always stayed busy cooking, baking, and having her grandchildren stay with her. Esther was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, where she was an active member. She was also a circle member at St. John’s as well as Canoe Ridge Lutheran Church.

Esther is survived by her children: Mildred (Bernell) Ramlo, Decorah, IA; Lucille (Gary) Brink, Postville, IA; Janice (David) Witzke, Minneapolis, MN; Dennis (Sue) Bigler, Decorah, IA, and Kristi (Mark) Berge, Decorah, IA. Eleven grandchildren: Randy (Lisa) Ramlo, Terry Ramlo, Brenda Ramlo, David Ramlo, Gerald Brink, Darrold Brink, Al Brink, Cindy (Jeff) Emery, Michelle (Ryan) Einck, Lynnae (Lucas) Kuene, and Dustin Bigler, along with twenty-one great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents: Lars and Isabelle (Ellingson) Larson. Her husband, Roy Bigler on Feb. 15, 1978. Seven siblings: Kenneth (Aletta) Larson in 1994; Mildred (Edgar) Vangen in 1988; Anton Larson in 1994; Louis (Charles) Hollaran in 1964; Earl Larson in 1994 and his twin brother at birth; Lester Larson in 1990; Vivian (Leonard) Hayes in 2010; and a sister in infancy.

Source: Decorah Newspaper & Schluter Balik Funeral Home

Locust Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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