Auld, Esther Rose Trasak Bartachek

Esther Rose Trasak Bartachek Auld passed away Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, at Rose Haven Nursing Home, Marengo, following a long illness. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, at the Hrabak Funeral Home in Belle Plaine, located at 1704 Seventh Ave. The funeral service will be held there at 2 p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in National Cemetery, Vining.

Esther was born Jan. 31, 1923, to Emil and Ella Kesl Trasak on their rural farm home, 5 miles southeast of Chelsea, Iowa. Esther and her brother Leonard graduated from Salt Creek #6 country school. Weekly visits between the Trasak and Kesl family members added to their busy farm life. In 1943, Esther married William Bartachek. Their first home was on a rented farm northwest of Belle Plaine, at which time three children, Dorothy, Jean and Bill, were born. In 1947, the Bartachek family moved to the farm where they would call home for the next 19 years. During that time, five more children were born, Larry, Darlene, Mary Ann, Donald and David. In September 1966, William passed away. That December, Esther purchased a home and her four younger children and she moved to Belle Plaine. The large yard provided a perfect place for a vegetable and flower garden. Within a short time, she took employment at the local dry cleaners and then later at Benco Manufacturing, from which she retired in 1984.

Esther's spare time was filled with various activities, playing cards, going out for supper, working with several local support organizations and sewing dozens of quilts for various institutions. She filled scrap books of past and present family members and of travel opportunities.

In 1984, Esther married Charles Auld. They made their home at Esther's residence in Belle Plaine and they traveled together. Her greatest activity and pleasure in life centered around her children and grandchildren, as they visited, called or wrote. Phone calls and visits with her cousin, Ruth Ann Ulch, were also treasured.

Esther is survived by seven children, Dorothy (Lan) Nowotny of Cedar Rapids, Jean (Fran) Behounek, William (Bev) Bartachek and Mary (Scott) Weekly, all of Chelsea, Darlene (Max) Leonard of Ladora, Don (Ann) Bartachek of Belle Plaine and David (Julia) Bartachek of Swisher; 15 grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; one stepgreat-grandchild; and one great-great grandchild.

Also surviving is a sister-in-law, Rose Ann Trasak, three nephews and one cousin.

Preceding her in death were first husband, William Bartachek; son, Larry Bartachek; second husband, Charles Auld; parents, Emil and Ella Kesl Trasak; in-laws, Charles and Emma Kaufman Bartachek; and brother, Leonard Trasak.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at under “obituaries.”

Published in The Gazette Jan. 5, 2012.