Rita (Volz) Ester

Rita Jo (Volz) Ester, 88, of Milan passed away Friday, December 19, 2025 at the Margaret Mary Community Hospital in Batesville. She was born in Milan on September 17, 1937, the daughter of Chris Sr. and Ada Koechlin Volz. She was married to Don Ester on June 13, 1959. Rita was a 1955 graduate of Milan High School and attended Marquette University and Hanover College. She worked at Fernald, as the treasurer of the Moores Hill School, and finished her career as the office manager for Larry Barlow DDS in Milan. Don and Rita enjoyed many years of camping and traveling the United States in their motor home with friends and family. They purchased a home in Bradenton, Florida and spent the winter there. Rita’s hobbies were quilting, embroidering, playing cards, and reading. She enjoyed lunches with her friends and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She is survived by her sister Mary Meyer McKittrick; daughters Gretchen (Richard) Hooker, Heidi Becker, Eric (Bev) Ester, and Donald Jr. (Renae Johnson) all of Milan; grandchildren Adam (Katie) Hooker, Alex (Jodie) Hooker, Johnathan Becker, Tyler Ester, Erica (Aaron) Mathes, Sara Ester (Joshua Cronauer), Taylor Ester, Gabbie Ester, Abigael (Matt) Brewer, Olivia (Charles) Storms, Tyler (Sara) Johnson, Jordan Johnson (USMC); great-grandchildren Caroline and Declan Hooker, Lane and Laramie Hooker, Cash, Mia, and Kennedy Mathes, Mack Gould, Asher, Jackson, and Waylon Brewer, Leah, Lainey, Rylee, and Renn Johnson, Lyric, and Melodie Storms. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Donald Ester, Sr., her brother Chris Volz, Jr., her sister Joan Konnersman, and her son-in-law Bruce Becker. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, December 23 at the St. Charles Catholic Church in Milan with Father Shaun Whittington officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be on Monday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles with Rosary services at 4:30 p.m. Memorials may be given to the Milan Fire Department or the St. Charles Cemetery in care of the funeral home.