Esther Thomas

ESTHER THOMAS

Wyoming

Esther Thomas, 87, of Waukon, formerly of Anamosa and Wyoming, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Her funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday, June 26, at Zion American Lutheran Church in Wyoming. A visitation will be Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be at Genoa Bluff Cemetery, rural Iowa County, at 3 p.m. Lahey Funeral Home is assisting the family with the services.

Esther Vetter was born Oct. 24, 1927, in Nashua, Iowa, to Carl and Anna Marie (Schultz) Vetter. She graduated from Warren County Rural High School and went on to get her bachelor's degree in teaching from Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant. On April 6, 1950, she was united in marriage to Dr. Byron H. Thomas in Alleman, Iowa. Esther taught for 25 years. She taught at Waverly, Sheldahl, Tipton, Manson and Midland school districts and retired in 1990. She was a member of Zion American Lutheran Church in Wyoming.

She is survived by five children, Marilyn Armstrong of Monticello, Ill., Marlene (Greg) Palmer of Waukon, Marcella "Marcy" Thomas of Anamosa, Marlys (Troy) Barker of Nevada, Iowa, and Mark (Ginger) Thomas of Wyoming, Iowa; 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; a sister, Elsie (Bob) Moseback of Melbourne, Iowa; and three brothers, Carl (Karen) Vetter of Alleman, Melvin (Janice) Vetter of Huxley and Alvin Vetter of Alleman.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents; husband; a sister, Mildred "Millie"; and a brother and sister in infancy.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.laheys.com