Esther Ekberg Brader, 97, of Wayne, died Wednesday Sept. 11, 2024 at the Wisner Manor in Wisner.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 at Grace Lutheran Church in Wayne. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at Grace Lutheran Church in Wayne. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery in Wayne.
Memorials may be directed to Esther’s family for later designation.
Arrangements are with Hasemann Funeral Home of Wayne.
Esther Marcella Temme Ekberg Brader was born Dec. 8, 1926 to Henry and Anna (Vahlkamp) Temme in Wayne. She was baptized at Theophilus Lutheran Church in Winside and confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in Wayne. Esther attended rural school District #15 through the eighth grade and later received her GED. Esther married Harold Ekberg on April 24, 1949 at Grace Lutheran Church in Wayne. The couple farmed near Wayne for several years. She was an active farm wife for many years. Esther’s first job off the farm was working for Wittig’s Grocery Store in Wayne, then did seamstress work for the Rusty Nail and Kuhn’s Drapery.
Harold passed away suddenly in 1985. Esther then married Harvey Brader on Dec. 8, 1989 at Grace Lutheran Church in Wayne. She was active in her church, as a member of Ladies Aid, did quilting for the church and a member of the Duo Club. Esther was a Sunday School and Bible School teacher and was a member of Jolly Sewing Circle. She enjoyed gardening and canning and was a 4-H Leader.
Survivors include her children, Dennis (Pam) Ekberg of Wayne, Connie (Roger) Stelling of Plainview, Sandra (Don) Holtgrew of Atkinson and Alan (Joanne) Ekberg of Osmond; nine grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Caroline Caauwe of Lincoln, Gladys Juhlin of Norfolk and Wilma Bartels of Wakefield; brother, Roland (Hiroko) Temme of Lincoln; brother-in-law, Richard Kai of Wakefield; nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Harvey Brader in 2019 and Harold Ekberg in 1985; great-granddaugher, Claire Nilson; brothers, Victor, Richard (Judy Owens), Frederick “Fritz” (Joann Wert); sisters, Marcella Temme, Dorothea Grosse, Alma Temme; brothers-in-law, Willard Bartels, Don Caauwe, Harvey Grosse, Russ Juhlin, Virgil (Doris) Ekberg and Lawrence (Dorla) Ekberg; and sister-in-law, Beverly Kai.
