Alma Esser
Alma Esser, 98, Brainerd resident since 1939, died Friday, Sept. 21, 2007, at St. Joseph's Medical Center.
Alma was born June 25, 1909, in Caledonia, Minn., to Albert and Segre Engene. A member of the Gamma Omicron Beta sorority, she graduated as a home economist from the University of Minnesota in 1936. Upon graduation she worked in the WPA program in Detroit Lakes where she was responsible for setting up the new hot lunch program in 15 counties. Her responsibilities also included working with the Native American women on the White Earth Reservation. She transferred to New Ulm, Minn., where she met and later married Melvin Esser on Feb. 1, 1938.
She was an active member of the Brainerd branch of the American Association of University Women and St. Theresa's Guild of St. Francis Catholic Church and she taught tailoring classes through the Community Ed. program. Her hobbies included quilting and pressed flower art.
Alma was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, two sisters and three brothers.
Survivors include one daughter, Kathie; two sons, Richard (Marie) and Stephen (Linda); eight grandchildren, Peter Gildart, Laurie Isaacson, Lynn Stanger, Brigid, Joseph, Paul, Samuel and James Esser; and six great-grandchildren, Emily and Kendall Isaacson, Justin, Britney and Grace Stanger, and Kaileah Esser.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2007, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Brainerd with Father Tony Wroblewski officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Monday with parish prayers at 7 p.m. at Nelson-Doran Funeral Home in Brainerd. Visitation will continue the hour before services Tuesday at the church.