Waltner, Esther Wedel (1923-2010)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2010 Oct 11 p. 9

Birth date: 1923 May 25

text of obituary:

ESTHER WALTNER

Esther Waltner, 87, of Freeman, S.D., died Sept. 20, 2010, at Oakview Terrace of the effects of a stroke. She was born May 25, 1923, to Peter P. and Emma (Kaufman) Wedel in Moundridge, Kan.

She was baptized by Pastor Peter Wedel, her father, on May 26, 1940, and became a member of First Mennonite Church of Christian. She attended Moundridge High School, then one year at Bethel College in North Newton, Kan. She then had three years of nurses training at Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton, Kan., and graduated as a registered nurse.

As a nurse, she worked one year in Hutchinson, Kan. She entered voluntary service with her sister and worked in Gulfport, Miss. There she met Carroll Waltner, who was serving in Civilian Public Service.

She married Carroll Waltner on June 8, 1948, in Moundridge. They shared 52 years of life together.

They farmed northwest of Hurley, where they lived for 49 years. She especially enjoyed gardening, sewing and baking. She transferred her church membership to Salem Mennonite Church in Freeman. She enjoyed teaching Sunday school and participated in Women’s Mission Society. She and Carroll moved to Walnut Street Village in Freeman in 1997, where she enjoyed 11 years of retirement. The last two years of her life were spent at Oakview Terrace. During her retirement she continued to enjoy reading, cooking and old and new friendships.

Survivors include her daughter, Jorgiann Waltner and her husband, George Glubka, of Minneapolis, Minn.; two sisters, Laura Mae Voran and her husband, Willis, of New Holland, Pa., and DeLores Sawatzky and her husband, Gordon, of Greeley, Colo.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Carroll Waltner; two brothers, Richard and Silas Wedel; and three sisters, Erma Vogt, Wilma Stucky and MaryAnn Lawler.

Services were held at Salem Mennonite Church of Freeman. Burial was in Salem Mennonite Church Cemetery.