Funeral Service
11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 7, 2012
St. John Lutheran Church
Alma, Kansas

Visitation
10:00 a.m. prior to service

Interment
St. John Lutheran Cemetery
Alma, Kansas

Esther Zeckser Schwiesow was born September 1, 1910 near Onaga, in Pottawamie County, Kansas, and died January 2, 2012 in Boulder, Colorado. During her long life, she influenced many other lives, especially of those in her family, and responded with grace and competence to major changes in the American life style.

The central part of her life was dedicated to making a safe, nurturing home for her husband, Phil, and their four children, Ronald, Naomi, Letha, and Helen. That home-making career was bracketed by employment outside the home, usually in government positions, both before and after her child-rearing responsibilities.

As a mother, Esther made clear to her children her values of education, Christian faith, family, music, and self-sufficiency. She provided until her death a role model of healthy living through meaningful activity, exercise, and good nutrition. Her family cannot forget the importance of good grades, "roughage," and hard work. She took pride in the achievements of her children in different fields and kept up strong encouragement for their progress.

In a similar way, Esther was influenced by her family and environment. Her parents, Herman C. and Emma Mitze Zeckser moved to a farm south of Alma, Kansas, in Wabaunsee County in 1913. Esther was the second of five children and the only girl. She helped Emma with the household while Art, Paul, Ben, and Bud helped Herman breed award-winning Herefords. Esther graduated from Alma High School in 1927 with a Kansas State Teaching Certificate, and she attended KU in 1929 to renew and upgrade her certificate. She taught five terms in rural schools in Wabaunsee County.

Seeking expanded opportunities during the Depression, Esther competed for, and won, a civil-service position in Washington, D.C., and moved there in 1930. There she met her husband, who had similarly moved from South Dakota for a government position. Together they moved with the government to Pittsburgh, PA, to start their family. Subsequently, they moved to Kansas City to be closer to extended family. After the children left home, Esther and Phil moved to the Milwaukee area, and then later back to Kansas City for retirement.

Esther had many interests: cooking, sewing, quilting, raising flowers, and gardening. She was a member of the Ladies’ Guild of her church for many years where she sewed for the World Relief, and for many years she helped with preparing Braille religious publications.

Reflecting the consistency in her life, Esther's funeral is held at St. John Lutheran Church, Alma, Kansas, the church in which Esther was confirmed in 1924 and married in 1937 and which her grandfather, August Zeckser helped build in 1908.

Preceding her in death were her father and mother, her husband, and three brothers, Art, Ben, and Paul Zeckser. Surviving are her four children, Ron of Boulder, Colorado, Naomi Ruth Schwiesow of Washington, D.C., Letha Flint of Anchorage, Alaska, and E. Helen Parker of Chilmark, Massachusetts; 11 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, her youngest brother Ralph T. (Bud) Zeckser, and many relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 7, 2012, at St. John Lutheran Church in Alma.  Reverend Robert Grimm will be officiating.  Burial will follow at St. John Lutheran Cemetery.  The family will greet friends at 10:00 a.m. prior to the service. The family suggests memorial contributions to the St. John Lutheran Church or the Esther Z. Schwiesow Thanksgiving Fund and those may be sent in care of Campanella-Gentry Funeral Home in Alma.  Online condolences may be made at www.campanellafuneral.com