Esther Lucille Held Legg

 Esther Lucille Held Legg

Anamosa

Esther Lucille Held Legg, 97, of Anamosa, Iowa, passed away on December 29, 2024, with a daughter Juliann by her side.  She was born on March 11, 1927, near Hinton, Iowa.

Esther grew up on a cattle farm adjacent to Hinton, Iowa, and graduated from Hinton High School.  After one year at Morningside College in Sioux City she transferred to Iowa State University (ISU) to secure a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics: Textiles and Merchandizing, in 1949.

On September 18, 1949, Esther married Joseph Emery Legg, Jr., and together they celebrated 70 years of marriage. They met at the ping pong tables in the Memorial Union at Iowa State University and crossed paths again as members of the ISU Marching Band.  Joe asked her to the homecoming dance and a romance developed.

Their first home was in Vinton, Iowa, but in 1950 they moved to Anamosa. “Nesting further”, in 1957 they purchased and renovated the house on Liberty Street.  Esther was a “domestic architect” designing routines of the home, while balancing the needs of four children, a husband, and a bustling household. She took on each day with grace and purpose.  She was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, serving the local congregation as well as district and region mission roles.  She was a member of P.E.O. for 67 years, an organization which provides financial support for women’s education.

Esther’s dream was to serve international mission teams.  The United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UM-VIM) offered that opportunity. Joe was a willing partner with construction know-how. 

In the early 1980’s, they started nearly two decades of annual two-week trips. Most were to Central America.  Beginning in 1988, they also volunteered for trips with Self-Help International.  The first trip, they took a small tractor from Waverly, Iowa, to Ghana, West Africa.  The next year, that mission expanded with a goal to reduce malnutrition and poverty. Esther surveyed families and wrote a report of her findings.  Subsequent years, Esther annually taught educational curriculum to promote the use of protein enriched corn. They made many seven trips to Ghana staying each time for 4-6 weeks.

In 2004, Esther and Joe were one of the four couples who founded the Anamosa Community Foundation.  This fund established a legacy and continues to make a difference with award annual grants to local non-profit organizations.

Esther was a cultivator of roots. In the garden she found accomplishment in the rhythm of planting, harvesting and preserving vegetables. In the community she supported most all community and school events. Her ISU roots made her a strong supporter of the Cyclones. She loved spending time with family and friends. Anamosa has been a great home.

The family would like to thank several friends who provided loving care and support- Bonnie Rhomberg, Karol McLaughlin, and Sherry Hill.

She was preceded in death by her mother Mary Royse, father Walter Held, three sisters Mary Lou Feikema, Ruth Held, and Carolyn Davies, and her two brothers Charles Held and Gordon Held, her husband Joseph Emery Legg, Jr.  and son-in-law Kenneth Vann.

She is survived by daughter Juliann Vann, son David (Theresa), son Dean (Teri), and daughter Janice, as well as seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.  

Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at Goettsch Funeral Home, 306 E. First Street, Anamosa, IA  52205 from 3-6 pm.  The memorial service will be held Monday, January 6, 2025, at 11am at Anamosa United Methodist Church, 201 S. Ford Street, Anamosa.  A light lunch will follow in the basement of the church. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Anamosa Community Foundation, P.O. Box 228, Anamosa, Iowa 52205 or Anamosa United Methodist Church, 201 S. Ford Street, Anamosa, Iowa.