Esther Westermeyer

Esther M. "Tessie" Westermeyer, age 62 of Melrose, died from gallbladder cancer on Saturday, May 5, 2007 at the Melrose Area Hospital.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 9 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Vince Lieser officiating. Interment will be at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery in St. Rosa.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m. followed by the St. Rosa Christian Mothers at 8 p.m. Tuesday evening.

Esther Westermeyer was born December 27, 1944 in Melrose, Minnesota to Alec and Katherine (Schoenberg) Terhaar. She attended Melrose High School. She married Richard Westermeyer on August 7, 1965 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Munich. The couple lived in St. Rosa for 32 years. Esther worked at Jennie-O Foods in Melrose for 28 years. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose and the St. Rosa Christian Mothers. She enjoyed playing cards, going to the casino, reading, gardening, and playing Tetris. She especially enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.

Survivors include her children, Jodi Westermeyer and Kim Westermeyer both of Melrose, and Ron Westermeyer and his wife, Kate of Maple Grove; granddaughters, Erika and Lydia Westermeyer; brothers and sister, LeRoy Terhaar, Raymond Terhaar and his wife, Marilyn, Jerome Terhaar and his wife, Toots, Alice Soenneker, Joe Terhaar and his wife, Donna, and John Terhaar.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard Westermeyer; children, Kerry Westermeyer and James Westermeyer.

Serving as casket bearers will be Michael Soenneker, Dale Soenneker, Keith Soenneker, Kevin Soenneker, Gary Terhaar, Greg Terhaar, and Joel Terhaar. Serving as cross bearer will be Erika Westermeyer, scripture bearer will be Tony Van Beck, and the Tetris game bearer will be Andrew Wendt. Gift bearers will be Tammy Waldvogel, Gwen Davidson, and Karen Soenneker. Readers will be Judy Van Beck and Deb Renchler. The eulogy will be read by Jerry Primus. Honorary bearers will be Marti Doetkott, Sandy Thom, Annie Primus, Sally Lehrke, Mary Ann Wensmann, Mary Ann Goerdt, Sylvia Flores, Pilar Carbajal, Juanna Cardona, Linda Tschida, and the St. Rosa Christian Mothers.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.