Esther Clara Kurasz

Esther Kurasz, age 96, of Neillsville WI died Sunday, March 18, 2012 at the Dove Health Care-West Nursing Home in Eau Claire, WI.Esther Clara Fenske, was born on November 20, 1915 in the Town of Honeycreek in Sauk County, which is near Leland, WI, to August Albert and Bertha (nee Terasa) Fenske. She was baptized on December 27, 1915 at the Evangelical Church in Black Hawk, WI by the Rev. Happe.She and her family moved to Humbird, WI in July 1918 where they lived in the town of Cleveland, Jackson County, WI. She attended the Oaks School and later the Humbird High School and graduated in 1934. She was confirmed in Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Alma Center, Wisconsin on June 8, 1930 by the Rev. Herbert Munderloch.Esther worked at various jobs in Sparta, Neillsville and Eau Claire, Wisconsin before marrying Joseph Stanley Kurasz on October 24, 1936 at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Neillsville by Rev. William Baumann. They lived in Eau Claire until 1938 when they moved to Humbird and then to a farm south of Neillsville. Their oldest son, Ronald Lee was born in Eau Claire on April 5, 1938. The next five children, Marjorie Lou, May 17, 1940, Stanley Ray, February 4, 1943, Helen Ruth, April 5, 1945, Susan Kathleen, January 24, 1947 and Thomas Stephen, April 10, 1955, were born while they lived on this farm and Ronald died on July 21, 1951. In 1956, they moved to a larger farm north of Neillsville and Timothy Joe was born there on April 24, 1960. Esther retired from the Memorial Nursing Home in Neillsville in 1985 at the age of 70.She is survived by her children, Marjorie Lund of Spokane, WA, Stanley (Teriann) Kurasz of Morrison, IL, Helen (Calvin) Johansen of Fergus Falls, MN, Thomas Kurasz of Mondovi, WI and Timothy (Lisa) Kurasz of Loyal, WI. 24 Grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren, 8 great great grandchildren and a sister, Edna Miller of TN.She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, 1975, a son, Ronald, 1951, a daughter, Susan Zickert, 2002, her father, 1942, her mother, 1952, a grandson, Andrew Peter Zickert, 1971, a granddaughter, Charlotte Melissa Kurasz, 1978, two great grandsons, Eric Lund, 1983 and Stephan Lund, 1993, two sisters and a brother.A Funeral Service for Esther will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 24, 2012 at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Neillsville. Pastor Timothy Biebert will officiate. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Saturday at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Interment will be in In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 711 W. 5th Street, Neillsville, WI or the Neillsville Public Library, 409 Hewett Street, Neillsville, WI, 54456.Funeral Home:Gesche Funeral Home4 South Grand AvenueNeillsville, WIUS 54456