Esther Kroeker

Esther Kroeker, 97, died at Beatrice Good Samaritan on Monday, July 23, 2018. She was born on March 19, 1921, in Jansen and attended school in Jansen. She worked for Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph as an operator for several years. She married Bernard "Ben" H. Kroeker on December 5, 1943, at Jansen and they lived and farmed near Jansen until 1948. They moved to Chicago where she worked as an editor for the Scripture Press for 33 years. They returned to Beatrice in 1981. She is a former member of the Mennonite Church of Jansen and is a member of Christ Community Church of Beatrice. She enjoyed playing the piano, Chicago Cubs baseball, her cats and visiting with family and friends.

Survivors include nieces, Judy (Buller) Schmidt and Linda (Buller) Rockemann and husband Paul of Beatrice, Kate (Buller) Kirchhoff of Jefferson City, Mo. and JoAnne (Buller) Majors of Colorado Springs, Colo.; several nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews; great-great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Elizabeth Ratzlaff Buller; her husband Ben, who died on December 7, 1997; five brothers and two sisters; two nephews-in-law, Roger Schmidt and Arthur Majors.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 26, 2018, at Christ Community Church of Beatrice with Pastor Dan Martin officiating. Burial will be in the Evergreen Home Cemetery of Beatrice. A family prayer service will be held at 10:15 a.m. Thursday at the church. Visitation will be held at Fox Funeral Home from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Fox Funeral Home and at the church one hour preceding the services on Thursday. A memorial has been established to the family for future designation. www.foxfuneralhome.net Fox Funeral Home of Beatrice in charge of arrangements.