GAARDER, Esther L. 1925-2016

GAARDER

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 12/24/2016 at 11:18:39

NORTHWOOD | Esther Lauriece Gaarder, 91, of Northwood, passed away peacefully Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, at the Lutheran Retirement Home, Northwood. Services were held at the First Lutheran Church in Northwood on Dec. 14. Burial was at Stateline Cemetery.

Esther was born October 29, 1925 in Northwood, IA to Gayhart and Letha (Seuser) Gabriel. She was a 1943 graduate of Northwood High School and attended Hamilton Business School. She married Maynard Hilman Gaarder on May 16, 1945 on her parent’s farm in Northwood.

To this union 5 children were born. Tom (Linda) Gaarder of Davenport, Linda (Dave) Clark of Ellsworth, Laurie (Mike) Stephens of Clear Lake, Terry Graham of Indianola and Letha (Larry) Gifford of Indianola. Grandchildren include Angie (Joe) Dixon, Stephen (Heather) Gaarder, Mark (Jeneen) Clark, Chris (Maureen) Clark, Lori Ann Yager, Nicol (Jesse) Williams, Amy (Brent) Schlicher, Michael (Krisia) Stephens, Randy (Chelsea) Murrow, Sunny (Matt) Helmers, Amanda (Michael) Novak, Josie (Matt) Schwarz, Casey Gifford, 47 great-grandchildren, 9 great-great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gayhart and Letha Gabriel, husband, Maynard Gaarder, 2 sisters, Bernice Flatness, and Marjorie Pangburn, 5 brother-in-laws, Eddie Flattness, Milo Pangburn, Harold (Alice) Gaarder, Morris (Velma) Gaarder and George (Arlene) Gaarder, 2 nephews Billie Pangburn and Buck Pangburn and grandson-in-law Chuck Yager.

While raising their children in Mason City, she was employed at Park Hospital, Deckers Packing Plant, Bergo’s and an Avon representative for many years. After moving to Indianola, she worked for the Iowa Department of Revenue, retiring in 1991. In retirement they returned to Northwood and she stayed active and productive working as a volunteer for several organizations that she was passionate about, the Share Shoppe, The Green Thumb Garden Club American Legion Auxiliary, State Line Cemetery Association, Meals on Wheels and several committees at the First Lutheran Church. She thoroughly enjoyed gardening, playing bridge with her friends, swimnastics class in Albert Lea, cooking and spending time with her family and many grandchildren.