Esther White

E sther Ione (Suhr) White, 76 of Sabetha died Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at the Sabetha Community Hospital, after a short battle with cancer.
Esther was born November 3, 1937 in rural Douglas County, Nebraska to Edwin and Gladys (Petersen) Suhr.  She was the eldest of three children, a sister, Waunita Suhr and a brother, Arnold Suhr.  She graduated from Bennington High School in Bennington, Nebraska in 1955.
After obtaining her teaching certificate she taught at Wranch School in Washington county Nebraska from 1955 to 1957.  On May 26, 1957 she married Lee Allen White of Sabetha, Kansas at Bethany Lutheran Church in Omaha, Nebraska.  After the birth of her children she returned to school at Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska, graduating in 1972.  In the fall of 1972 she began teaching in the Dawson-Verdon School system, where she taught 6th, 3rd and 4th graders until her retirement in 1998.
Esther and Lee have lived since their marriage on a farm two miles north of Sabetha.  She attended First Lutheran Church in Sabetha sincere her marriage.  She served as Sunday school teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, member and President of LWML (Lutheran Women’s Missionary League).  Esther served as secretary for the “Albany Historical Society” from its inception for many years.
Esther was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Wuanita Hamernick and Arnold Suhr; a nephew, Christopher Hamernick.  She is survived by her husband, Lee White of Sabetha; Children, Tami (John) Rutten of Bossier City, Louisiana, Todd (Delores) White of Steinauer, Nebraska, Terylin (Alan) Keehn of Wetmore, Kansas, Teresa (Curtis) Deckinger of Sabetha, John (Dana) White of White Cloud, Kansas, Jeff White of Topeka, Bill (Charleen) White of Hiawatha and Joleen White of Texas.  She was the grandmother of 22 children and great grandmother of 15 children.

Funeral service is Monday, February 24, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Sabetha.  A visitation will be held Sunday, February 23, 2014 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Popkess Mortuary Chapel in Sabetha.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Sabetha Lutheran Church, Albany Historical Society or the Caring Neighbor’s Fund of Sabetha sent in care of the funeral home.  The interment will be made in the Albany Cemetery north of Sabetha.