Esther Hoelscher
1933 - 2018
Obituary
Esther Marie Hoelscher, 84, passed away
Saturday morning (May 5, 2018) at her home in Walton, surrounded by
her adoring family. Esther was born Nov. 14, 1933, the youngest of
four children to Philomena (Minnie) and Henry Lutz, near Fowler. The
family lived on a farm near Garfield for several years before moving
to Wichita after Esther completed the seventh grade.
Upon moving to Wichita, Esther attended
St. Anthony Catholic School for the eighth grade before graduating
from St. Mary Inter-Parochial High School in 1952. Following
graduation, Esther worked as a legal assistant and often attended
social events at the local Padilla Club for Catholic young people. It
was at a Padilla Club dance that she met her love, Charles (Chuck)
Hoelscher, and the two were married on Nov. 25, 1954, at St. Anthony
Catholic Church in Wichita.
The couple lived in Wichita for a short
time before moving to Newton, where Chuck took a job in the mobile
home industry. The couple lived on Harrison Street in Newton for
seven years until moving to the family farm north of Walton in 1963.
Chuck continued to work in the mobile home industry until opening his
family welding business in 1980. Esther worked at the ASCS office in
Newton, the Farmers' Grain COOP in Walton, Prairie View in Newton and
drove a school bus for special needs students – all while raising
their 12 children.
Esther is preceded in death by Chuck,
her husband of 52 years; her dear daughter, Doris Regier; her
parents, Minnie and Henry; and her brothers: Joe, Walt and Clarence.
Esther is survived by 11 loving
children: Theresa (Doug) Wolford of Overland Park, Susan (Leroy)
Koehn of Newton, Steven (Katie) Hoelscher of Newton, Deborah (Jeff)
Brust of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Connie (Rick) Campbell of Canton,
Sharon (Bob) McCall of Newton, Chuck (Vicki) Hoelscher of Yukon,
Oklahoma, Jim (Sheila) Hoelscher of Walton, Mike (Donna) Hoelscher of
Derby, Doug (Megan) Hoelscher of Lenexa and Mary (John) Dickinson of
Omaha, Nebraska; as well as 23 cherished grandchildren; and 16
great-grandchildren.
Esther and Chuck were dedicated members
of St. Mary's Catholic Church for more than 60 years. Esther enjoyed
cooking for her family, attending and volunteering at St. Mary's,
reading and spending time on the family farm that she loved.
Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Tuesday
(May 8, 2018) at St. Mary Catholic Church in Newton, with The
Reverend Nicholas Voelker presiding. Recitation of the Holy Rosary
will be 5 p.m. Monday (May 7, 2018) at the church. Visitation will be
1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday at Petersen Funeral Home.
Burial will be in St. Mary Catholic
Cemetery, Newton.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests
donations to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Newton or to Harry Hynes
Memorial Hospice.
1933 - 2018 (84 years)