Esther Reed

ESTHER M. REED

Manchester

Esther M. Reed, 101, of Manchester, Iowa, formerly of Delhi, died Sunday, July 3, 2016, at the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester. She was born on April 25, 1915, in Lamont, the daughter of Harm and Ida Louisa (Ulitzsch) Wessels. Esther was raised in the area and graduated from Manchester High School in 1932.

On Oct. 25, 1939, Esther was united in marriage to Clarence File. Together they farmed south of Manchester. They adopted a baby boy, Dean Douglas File. Esther was employed at Good Neighbor Home when it opened in September 1963 for eight years. She then worked at Manchester Lambert Elementary Food Service for 10 years. Clarence died on Aug. 20, 1980.

On May 14, 1983, Esther was married to Robert Reed, and together they lived at the Cedars in Delhi until 2003 when they moved to Manchester.

Esther was a lifelong, loyal and active member of First Lutheran Church in Manchester, and a wonderful cook.

Left to cherish her memory are her stepchildren, who were very good to her, Karen (Harlan) Murley of Aurora, Jon (Diane) Reed of Marion and Douglas (Pamela) Reed of Des Moines; her many nieces and nephews, including Janeen File of Manchester, Diane (Terry) Helmrichs of Waverly, Nancy File of Council Bluffs and Don (Linda) Grimm of Manchester; and many friends.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Clarence File; her second husband, Robert Reed; her son, Dean File; five brothers; and 11 sisters.

Online condolences may be sent to www.leonard-mullerfh.com.

Funeral service: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, at First Lutheran Church in Manchester. Officiating: the Rev. Jason Cooper.

Visitation: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 5, at Leonard-Muller Funeral Home in Manchester. Friends also may call one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.

Interment: Oakland Cemetery, Manchester.