Esther C. Schmidt, of Ellsworth, WI, passed on December 24, 2020 at the age of 91.  She had been a 6 year resident at the Ellsworth Care Center as she had Alzheimer’s and contracted Covid 19 recently.  The family is very appreciative of the exceptional care Esther received while there.  Born on January 18, 1929 in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  The loss of her mother at 37, Esther, at the age of 20, made many sacrifices to provide a major positive influence for the caring and raising of her younger siblings.

Esther received a Bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and a Master’s degree from Stanford University.  She was an elementary school teacher beginning in a one room country school house and retired some 55 years from the Rochester, MN school system.   She was a dedicated teacher who cared for her students. She was an accomplished pianist and a member of the Rochester Symphony as a cellist.  She liked to travel and made a point to take many nephews and nieces on a trip to a special place as they became old enough to leave their parents for a short time.

She was preceded in death by parents Harry and Catherine (Seiler) Schmidt, and sister Ellen Dunne.  Esther is survived by her brother Jim (Helen), and sisters Evelyn (Larry) Amdahl, Elisabeth Loring and a host of nephews and nieces.

A Memorial Mass will be held at a later date and interment at the Catholic Cemetery in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

In memory of Esther, memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association. alz.org.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the O’Connell-Benedict Family Funeral Home of Ellsworth (715) 273-4421.  www.oconnellfuneralservices.com