Esther (Johnson) HESS

HESS, JOHNSON, ANDERSON, PERKINS, NUEHRING, HUMMEL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/13/2012 at 17:12:54

September 27, 1899 --- October 26, 1999

Esther (Johnson) Hess, the daughter of John Axel and Taalena Brotton (Anderson) Johnson, was born on September 27, 1899, on a farm in rural Kanawha, Iowa. She was baptized at the Lutheran church, rural Kanawha near the Twin Lakes. She attended country school in rural Kanawha through the 4th grade. At that time, she quit school to take care of her younger siblings at home. Esther was working at a candy factory in Chicago, IL, when she met her future husband, Jake. She (of Norwegian descent) and Jacob John Hess (of Russian descent) were united in marriage on May 15, 1926, in Chicago, IL, where they made their home for two years. They moved to rural Klemme, Iowa, in 1928. They farmed around Klemme, where Esther loved to raise ducks, until they retired and moved into town in 1946. Jacob died on March 28, 1978.

She had a passion for flowers and gardening–something she took great pride in doing. She was frequently referred to as the "Flower Lady." Esther was awarded many prize-winning ribbons for her flowers, and she showed them regularly at the Klemme Garden Club flower shows, and at the Hancock County Fair. She was also very active in the Klemme United Methodist Church and the Women's Circles, the American Legion Auxiliary, Klemme Senior Citizens, and the Klemme Garden Club.

Esther entered the Concord Care Center in Garner on January 25, 1999. Esther died on Tuesday, October 26, 1999, at the Concord Care Center in Garner, Iowa.; at the age of 100 years and 1 month.

Survivors include her sister, Ruth Nuehring of Mason City, IA; a special niece, Marie Perkins of Klemme, IA; and many other nieces, nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jacob; four brothers, John, Bert, Alfred, and Carl; and three sisters, Edith Caroline Johnson, Alice Hummel, and Nora Perkins.