Esther Wieman • 1916- 2006

Esther Wieman, 89, 1401 -11th St. SW, virtually a lifelong resident of Minot, died Sunday, March 26, 2006, at a Minot nursing home.

Esther Gertrude Whiting was born on July 4, 1916, the daughter of Uri R. and Mamie G. (Rayne) Whiting in Minot. She was raised in Minot and educated in Minot public schools, graduating from Minot High School in 1934. She later pursued studies in business.

She was employed as a saleswoman at Buttrey's, a women's clothing store, both in Minot and Dickinson, ND. She later lived in LaPorte, IN, where she was employed at Allis-Chalmers, a farm equipment store. She returned to Minot in 1949 and worked at the Montgomery Ward store and then at Lahart Motors. In the early 1950s, she began a long career in the insurance business, first as an employee/agent with the Holler Insurance Agency in Minot and by 1967 as the owner of the company. She continued in the business for some 30 years.

Esther married Kenneth B. Wieman on November 26, 1971, in Minneapolis, MN. They made their home in Minot. He died Dec. 31, 1989.

Esther was a member of Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot, and of the Zonta Club, a women's service club in Minot. She served as secretary of the Minot Park Board.

Esther was a practical woman who had known hard work all of her life. She gained strength from early disappointments. But she was way too smart to allow any of life's tough challenges to keep her from moving ahead. Her daughter Dianne believes her mother was a "women's libber" long before the movement took hold. Her family came first in her life. For many years, they made major celebrations of her July Fourth birthday. Esther was a great cook and gardener. She drew much joy from her flower gardens and from the birds and critters who found her yard a fine place to rest awhile.

Surviving family includes: daughter, Dianne Fisher and her husband, Jerry, Tucson, AZ; grandchildren, Josh Fisher, Tucson, and Michael Kann; stepgrandchildren, Brad Fisher, Old Greenwich, CT, Craig Fisher, Austin, TX, and Wendy, Minneapolis, MN;
sister, Helen F. Whiting, Bismarck, ND; nieces and nephews also survive.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Kenneth, and son, Dennis Kann.

Funeral: Saturday, April 1, 2006, at 1 pm at Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot.

Interment: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot.

Visitation: Friday from noon to 7 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

Memorials are preferred to the Jack Hoeven Wee Links Golf Course or to an organization of the donor's choice.

Officiant: Pastor Rick Fossum

Music: Hardy Lieberg, Vocalist
"How Great Thou Art" & "The Lord's Prayer"
Lou Whitmer, Organist
Congregational Hymns
"Precious Lord, Take My Hand" #474 & "Amazing Grace" #378

Honorary Bearers: Esther's family, Steven Kielach and Nancy Hoiland

Active Bearers: Josh Fisher, Jerry Fisher, Dr. Richard Crisera, Robert Hale, Lanny Wade and Richard Solberg

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