Esther A. Pratt

Esther Anne Pratt, 97, a resident at Garnett Place, died February 6, 2013 at St Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids, Iowa after a sudden and short illness. Esther, the daughter of Frederick and Anna (Schwinkendorf) Bopp, was born January 6, 1916, on the family farm south of New Salem, North Dakota. She attended school through the 8th grade. She had several jobs as a housemaid or nanny. She followed two of her sisters, Elizabeth and Margaret, to the Chicago area where she met her husband, Charles Pratt. They were married in Valparaiso, Indiana on February 8, 1940. A son, Charles Dwight Pratt, Jr. was born May 17, 1941, and died May 18, 1941. They then moved to Paw Paw, Michigan where a daughter, Diana Esther Pratt was born July 3, 1942, and died July 6, 1942. Chuck and Esther moved back to the Chicago area. In 1964, they moved to Wisconsin where they purchased a farm. Esther often joked about not being very good farmers, as they couldn't bear to sell or kill any of the farm animals, but ended up boarding horses and enjoying the company of cats and dogs, especially their beloved, Chipper, over the years. Bud, their nephew, and his wife Shirley, traveled frequently from Shawano to help them through his Uncle Chuck's recovery from heart surgery and then helped after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. They lived in the Wisconsin Rapids area until Chuck's death in August 1984. Esther moved to Lansing, Illinois in 1985 to be closer to her Sister, Margaret. They palled around with shopping and rotating Sunday dinners and in genera, enjoyed life. They spent a great deal of time making things for people in need and giving them to the local hospital. Uncle Chuck and Aunt Esther's niece, Mary Ellen, commissioned a quilt. Mary Ellen proudly displays this quilt and comments on it with great frequency when guests visit her home. In the early days of her living in Lansing, Illinois, she met Bessie DeBoer and her Daughter, Becky. They all shared the same skills and a great friendship blossomed. They crocheted their way through many skeins (rhymes with veins) of yarn to make more baby blankets for the needy. Esther lived there until 2006 when Margaret passed away. She then moved to Iowa to be closer to family. Esther enjoyed her time here in Iowa and will be missed by the staff and residents of Garnet Place, as well as her nieces and nephews. Esther was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Rose, Elizabeth, Matilda, Amelia, and Margaret; and brothers, William and Otto. Arrangements are being handled by Stewart Baxter Funeral and Memorial Services, Marion, Iowa. Inurnment will be held August 2nd at Evergreen Cemetery, 3401 W 87th St, Evergreen Park, IL 60805. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to your local Humane Society.