RAPID CITY- Esther Mae Bitner, 82, Rapid City, and former resident of De Smet, died Thursday, March 8, 2012 at her home.
Esther was born on April 22, 1929 to Emil and Harriet (Tripp) Albrecht in De Smet, South Dakota.
After graduating from De Smet High School, Esther attended and graduated from Mitchell Business College. Following graduation, she worked at People's State Bank in De Smet.
On February 18, 1951, she married Roy D. Bitner and the couple farmed and raised their children near De Smet.
Esther began working at the Farmers Union/Cenex as a bookkeeper, and then at Richies Service Center until retiring. She also spent many years working on the farm with her husband.
When Roy died in December of 1976, Esther moved into DeSmet.
Esther's love of dancing led her to meet her longtime companion, John Kretchmer.Esther's nature was to love – she brought joy and made others smile by sharing her sweetness.
Survivors include three daughters, Nancy Leland, Rapid City; Judy (Rick) Hefner, Rapid City; Connie Phen (Kyle Leonard), Lennox, SD; two sisters, Ruth Zeller, Rapid City; Alice Lundquist, Mesa, AZ; one brother, John Albrecht, De Smet; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild; along with her longtime companion's children: Connie (Rich) Ziegeldorf, Aurora, SD; Jim (Susan) Kretchmer, Bancroft, SD; Rod (Joann) Kretchmer, Cavour, SD; Mike (Karla) Kretchmer, Bancroft, SD; Steve (Kathy) Kretchmer, Avoca, WI; 23 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; and son in law, Dave Welsh, that also became a part of Esther's life.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Harriet; husband, Roy; brother, Kenneth; and longtime companion, John Kretchmer.
A Celebration of Life will be at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, at Kingsbury County Country Club.
Memorial services will be at 3:00 p.m., on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at American Lutheran Church in De Smet, South Dakota.
Burial will follow at De Smet Cemetery in De Smet, South Dakota.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to Pancreatic Cancer Research.
Esther was born on April 22, 1929 to Emil and Harriet (Tripp) Albrecht in De Smet, South Dakota.
After graduating from De Smet High School, Esther attended and graduated from Mitchell Business College. Following graduation, she worked at People's State Bank in De Smet.
On February 18, 1951, she married Roy D. Bitner and the couple farmed and raised their children near De Smet.
Esther began working at the Farmers Union/Cenex as a bookkeeper, and then at Richies Service Center until retiring. She also spent many years working on the farm with her husband.
When Roy died in December of 1976, Esther moved into DeSmet.
Esther's love of dancing led her to meet her longtime companion, John Kretchmer.Esther's nature was to love – she brought joy and made others smile by sharing her sweetness.
Survivors include three daughters, Nancy Leland, Rapid City; Judy (Rick) Hefner, Rapid City; Connie Phen (Kyle Leonard), Lennox, SD; two sisters, Ruth Zeller, Rapid City; Alice Lundquist, Mesa, AZ; one brother, John Albrecht, De Smet; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild; along with her longtime companion's children: Connie (Rich) Ziegeldorf, Aurora, SD; Jim (Susan) Kretchmer, Bancroft, SD; Rod (Joann) Kretchmer, Cavour, SD; Mike (Karla) Kretchmer, Bancroft, SD; Steve (Kathy) Kretchmer, Avoca, WI; 23 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; and son in law, Dave Welsh, that also became a part of Esther's life.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Harriet; husband, Roy; brother, Kenneth; and longtime companion, John Kretchmer.
A Celebration of Life will be at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, at Kingsbury County Country Club.
Memorial services will be at 3:00 p.m., on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at American Lutheran Church in De Smet, South Dakota.
Burial will follow at De Smet Cemetery in De Smet, South Dakota.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to Pancreatic Cancer Research.
RAPID CITY- Esther Mae Bitner, 82, Rapid City, and former resident of De Smet, died Thursday, March 8, 2012 at her home.
Esther was born on April 22, 1929 to Emil and Harriet (Tripp) Albrecht in De Smet, South Dakota.
After graduating from De Smet High School, Esther attended and graduated from Mitchell Business College. Following graduation, she worked at People's State Bank in De Smet.
On February 18, 1951, she married Roy D. Bitner and the couple farmed and raised their children near De Smet.
Esther began working at the Farmers Union/Cenex as a bookkeeper, and then at Richies Service Center until retiring. She also spent many years working on the farm with her husband.
When Roy died in December of 1976, Esther moved into DeSmet.
Esther's love of dancing led her to meet her longtime companion, John Kretchmer.Esther's nature was to love – she brought joy and made others smile by sharing her sweetness.
Survivors include three daughters, Nancy Leland, Rapid City; Judy (Rick) Hefner, Rapid City; Connie Phen (Kyle Leonard), Lennox, SD; two sisters, Ruth Zeller, Rapid City; Alice Lundquist, Mesa, AZ; one brother, John Albrecht, De Smet; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild; along with her longtime companion's children: Connie (Rich) Ziegeldorf, Aurora, SD; Jim (Susan) Kretchmer, Bancroft, SD; Rod (Joann) Kretchmer, Cavour, SD; Mike (Karla) Kretchmer, Bancroft, SD; Steve (Kathy) Kretchmer, Avoca, WI; 23 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; and son in law, Dave Welsh, that also became a part of Esther's life.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Harriet; husband, Roy; brother, Kenneth; and longtime companion, John Kretchmer.
A Celebration of Life will be at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, at Kingsbury County Country Club.
Memorial services will be at 3:00 p.m., on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at American Lutheran Church in De Smet, South Dakota.
Burial will follow at De Smet Cemetery in De Smet, South Dakota.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to Pancreatic Cancer Research.
Esther was born on April 22, 1929 to Emil and Harriet (Tripp) Albrecht in De Smet, South Dakota.
After graduating from De Smet High School, Esther attended and graduated from Mitchell Business College. Following graduation, she worked at People's State Bank in De Smet.
On February 18, 1951, she married Roy D. Bitner and the couple farmed and raised their children near De Smet.
Esther began working at the Farmers Union/Cenex as a bookkeeper, and then at Richies Service Center until retiring. She also spent many years working on the farm with her husband.
When Roy died in December of 1976, Esther moved into DeSmet.
Esther's love of dancing led her to meet her longtime companion, John Kretchmer.Esther's nature was to love – she brought joy and made others smile by sharing her sweetness.
Survivors include three daughters, Nancy Leland, Rapid City; Judy (Rick) Hefner, Rapid City; Connie Phen (Kyle Leonard), Lennox, SD; two sisters, Ruth Zeller, Rapid City; Alice Lundquist, Mesa, AZ; one brother, John Albrecht, De Smet; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild; along with her longtime companion's children: Connie (Rich) Ziegeldorf, Aurora, SD; Jim (Susan) Kretchmer, Bancroft, SD; Rod (Joann) Kretchmer, Cavour, SD; Mike (Karla) Kretchmer, Bancroft, SD; Steve (Kathy) Kretchmer, Avoca, WI; 23 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; and son in law, Dave Welsh, that also became a part of Esther's life.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Harriet; husband, Roy; brother, Kenneth; and longtime companion, John Kretchmer.
A Celebration of Life will be at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, at Kingsbury County Country Club.
Memorial services will be at 3:00 p.m., on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at American Lutheran Church in De Smet, South Dakota.
Burial will follow at De Smet Cemetery in De Smet, South Dakota.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to Pancreatic Cancer Research.
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