Minnie "Toots" (Zaiger) Fancher (1915 - 2016)
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Funeral services for Minnie Fancher, 101, were conducted by Pastor Kelley Pedersen on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016, at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. Interment was in the Cameron Township Cemetery north of Audubon. The casket bearers were Jeff Fancher, Anson Fancher, Duane Fancher, Terry Kamlen, Robert Caldwell, David Summers, and Jeremy Summers. The Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon was in charge of the arrangements.
Minnie "Toots" Fancher, the daughter of Chris F. and Anna Marie (Jensen) Zaiger, was born May 11, 1915, at her Grandmother's home in Cameron Township, Audubon, County, and died Aug. 8, 2016, at her daughter's home in Harbor, Ore., at the age of 101 years, 2 months, and 27 days.
Minnie was baptized at the Trinity Lutheran Church north of Audubon. She attended rural Audubon County Schools in Cameron Township until 1924 when the family moved to Kennard, Neb. Minnie was confirmed at the Lutheran Church in Kennard, Neb. She attended Kennard Community Schools graduating with the High School Class of 1932. Minnie and her family returned to the Audubon area and she took Normal Training then taught rural school for three years.
On March 14, 1936, she was united in marriage to Jesse Buckner Fancher in Maryville, Mo. They were blessed with four children William, Thomas, Deanna, and Roy. Minnie and Jesse helped operate the family farm until 1945. They moved to Hillsboro, Ore., and raised strawberries and raspberries until they returned to the Audubon area in 1947. They rented a farm for several years then purchased a farm near Cameron Center. Minnie helped Jesse operate the farm where they grew row crops and raised livestock. Later in December of 1969 they purchased another farm in Guthrie County, which they farmed until 1985. They lived on the farm near Cameron Center until they moved into Audubon in January of 1997. Jesse moved into the Exira Care Center in September of 1999 and died March 27, 2004. Minnie lived in her home until 2007 then moved to Harbor, Ore., to live with her daughter and husband Deanna and Loren.
Minnie was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. She was active in the various church boards, taught Sunday school, served as an Elder and a Deacon, and was involved with the Youth and General Counsel of the Presbytery. She was a member of the Presbyterian Women and was a member of several neighborhood clubs in both Audubon County and Guthrie County. Minnie enjoyed living in Oregon where she spent many hours doing artwork, walking, observing the wildlife and feeding them peanuts.
Preceding her in death was her husband Jesse; her son Thomas Fancher; her parents; two infant sisters and her sister Kathryn Zaiger, her other brothers and sister Marion and wife Elizabeth Zaiger, Dolliver Zaiger, John and wife Edith Zaiger, Roy Zaiger, George Zaiger, and Leoris and husband Paul Rager; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Betty Zaiger, Olive and husband Dale Westphalen, Glenn Fancher, and Violet and husband Virgil Clemsen.
Survivors include her children William Fancher of Audubon, Deanna and husband Loren Griffith of Harbor, Ore., Roy and wife Donna Fancher of Macon, Mo., her daughter-in-law Jean Fancher of Belen, N.M.; 12 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; her brothers Floyd Zaiger of Modesto, Calif., and Jake Zaiger of Orangevale, Calif.; her sisters-in-law Lavaun Fancher of Stanton, Rose Zaiger of Blaine, Wash., Janice Zaiger of Kona, Hawaii, and Joan McClendon of Klamath Falls, Ore.; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral Home
Kessler Funeral Home
515 S Division St
Audubon, IA 50025
712-563-2324
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Published in AUDUBON COUNTY ADVOCATE JOURNAL from Aug. 26 to Sept. 2, 2016