Fillmore, Esther Schuettpelz

Esther Schuettpelz Fillmore, 98, passed away Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, at Bickford Cottage, Marion.

Esther was born Sept. 19, 1913, on a farm near Garner, Iowa, to William and Betty Greimann. Esther was the middle child in a family that included five brothers and three sisters. She attended Iowa State Teachers College and began her teaching career in a one room school house in Hancock County, Iowa, at the age of 17. She married Earl Schuettpelz Oct. 21, 1939, in Taylor Falls, Minn. They moved to Marion, Iowa, where Esther continued her teaching and then began her 20 year career as a church secretary at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Marion, Iowa.

Earl passed away Aug. 30, 1981. She married John Fillmore Jan. 7, 1987. John passed away Jan. 24, 1995.

Esther is survived by one brother, Earl Greimann; one sister, Gladys Alden; three children, Donald (Patricia) Schuettpelz, Diane (Terry) Conklin and Carl (Dawn) Schuettpelz; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Services at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Marion. Friends may call one hour before services Wednesday at the church. Private family burial.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

The family would like to thank Kathy Barltrop RN, the Staff at Bickford Cottage, Marion, and Hospice Compassus for the loving care they gave to our Mother.

Published in The Gazette Dec. 19, 2011.