Lorraine Essler

Lorraine M. Essler, age 91, of Brooten, died Wednesday afternoon, October 19, at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 24, at St. Donatus Catholic Church in Brooten. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 3-6 p.m. with parish prayers at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 23, at St. Donatus Catholic Church in Brooten. Visitation will also continue for one hour prior to the service on Monday. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Glacial Ridge Hospice are preferred. Arrangements are with Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. www.petersonbrothers.com
Lorraine Mary Essler was born on March 4, 1925, in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, the daughter of Emil and Susan (Spaeth) Wiener. She grew up and received her education in Padua. On September 9, 1943, Lorraine was united in marriage to Henry J. Essler. They made their home and raised their family on a dairy farm south of Brooten. Lorraine worked hard as a homemaker and also as a clerk at Maher's Department Store and Elwood's Grocery in Belgrade and later at Home Bakery in Brooten. She was a faithful member of St. Donatus Catholic Church. Lorraine was an active volunteer at the Food Shelf in Brooten and member of the Brooten Senior Citizens and the Red Hats Society. She was the recipient of the WCCO Good Neighbor Award in 2011. Her hobbies included playing card games, bowling, gardening and quilting. She enjoyed life on the farm, morning coffee with friends, socials at the Ka-De-Shack and the Bonanza Valley Days. She cherished her grandchildren and all their activities.
She is survived by five children, David (and Joyce) Essler of Alexandria, Richard (and Barb) Essler of Sauk Centre, Shirley (and Gene) Bertram of Willmar, Laurie (and Tim) King of Lakeville and Dan (and Margaret) Essler of New London; twelve grandchildren, Michael, Mary, Melissa, Jeremy, Joshua, Chad, Shannon, Derek, Tyler, Jayme, Jacob and Adam; sixteen great grandchildren, Elsie, Owen, T.J., Beckett, Nathan, Riley, Raeanna, Katherine, Eli, Adyson, Nolan, Quinn, Ruby, Kordon, Cullen and Kane; and one sister, Bernice Karasch of Sauk Centre, besides other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Henry in 1994; one son, Ronald H. Essler, killed in action on November 23, 1967 in VietNam; one granddaughter, Brittany Essler; and one brother, Virgil Wiener.

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