Esther Helen Evers, age 92, long-time Wykoff resident, passed away surrounded by her family on Friday, December 6, 2024, at Ostrander Care and Rehab in Ostrander.
Esther Timm was born October 21, 1932, in rural Utica, the daughter of Henry and Esther (Woltmann) Timm. She was baptized November 6, 1932, at her parents’ home by the pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lewiston, where she was confirmed on April 14, 1946. She attended Utica Public School, St. John’s Lutheran School in Lewiston, and St. Charles High School, graduating in 1950.
Esther met her future husband, Irvin Evers, while visiting her grandparents and cousins in Wykoff. They were married February 4, 1952, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. The couple owned and operated a dairy farm northeast of Wykoff. Irvin passed away January 23, 2018.
Esther was a very hard worker. She rose early every morning to work on the farm and take care of her household. She was known for being an exceptional cook and baker. She especially loved baking cookies at Christmas time with her family and sharing them with others. She was delighted to pass this tradition on to her family. She was a very involved mother to her children and did all she could to be present for their school activities and events.
Esther possessed an unwavering faith in God, being an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wykoff for most of her life. She taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir, and was active in Ladies Aid. For a number of years she volunteered her time bringing recorded worship services to local nursing home residents and others unable to attend church themselves, an activity that brought her a great amount of joy. She was also instrumental in documenting the church’s history through helping in the creation of picture displays and history books.
Esther loved history. She was very proud of her German heritage and enjoyed genealogical research, meticulously compiling many records and pictures. She was a charter member of the Wykoff Area Historical Society and served on the board of directors for over 20 years, serving as president for a number of them. She was very involved in the preservation of Ed’s Museum, the Wykoff Jail Haus, and the Wykoff School Museum. For her efforts she was interviewed by local and national journalists, her highlight being an appearance on the History Channel.
Another of Esther’s passions was volunteering as a 4-H leader, including being the superintendent for the clothing project and being on the Fashion Revue committee for the county fair. She was always there to watch her children and grandchildren exhibit their animals,and capture the moments with her camera.
During whatever free time she could find, Esther enjoyed playing the accordion (in her younger years), painting ceramics, paging through her photo albums, scrapbooking, corresponding with her family and friends, and working on Sudoku puzzles. She and Irvin were also in the same card club for more than 60 years. She loved animals, especially the family dogs and newborn kittens.
Esther is survived by three sons: Keith Evers of Wykoff, David Evers of Bakersfield, Calif., and Daniel (Lana) Evers of Rochester; three daughters: Susan (Duane) Krahn of Wykoff, Debra (Loren) Stene of St. Ansgar, Iowa, and Janet (James) Kappers of Spring Valley; seven grandchildren, Brandon Tukua (Anna Flo), Megan (Erik) Nelson, Trent Krahn, Travis Krahn, Ryan (Molly) Kappers, Jennifer Evers, and Tyler (Megan) Kappers; nine great-grandchildren: Charlie, Levi, Nora and Waylon Nelson; and Haiden, Emily, Olivia, Avery and Maggie Kappers and her 10th great-grandchild arriving in February; also a sister in-law, Jan Timm.
She was preceded in death by her parents Henry and Esther Timm, her husband Irvin Evers, her daughter Pamela Evers, grandson Joshua Evers, and three brothers: Earl (and sister in-law Elaine) Timm, Morris Timm, and Allen Timm.
The funeral will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, December 14, 2024, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wykoff, with Rev. Loel Wessel officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held 4:30–7:30 p.m. Friday at St John’s Lutheran Church in Wykoff and will continue for one hour prior to the service on Saturday.
Memorials may be directed to the Wykoff Historical Society, St John’s Lutheran Church or Ostrander Care and Rehab.
The family would like to thank the staff of Ostrander Care and Rehab and St. Croix Hospice for the phenomenal care and support they have provided.
Condolences may be left at www.hindtfuneralhomes.com.
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