Esther Georgia Schuster

1919 - 2007

Esther Georgia Schuster, 87, of Hershey died July 22, 2007, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.

Esther was born Oct. 1, 1919, at the family home near Wisner to Karl and Henrietta Harms Brand, the youngest of nine siblings. When she was 2, she moved to Colorado with her mother and stepfather, Thomas Smith. In 1924, they moved back to Columbus, where Esther attended four years of country school and moved to Silver Creek, where she finished her schooling and graduated in 1937 with a teacher's certificate to teach in country schools. She home schooled four children for three years before marrying.

On March 16, 1940, Esther married August "Bud" Julius Schuster in Columbus and they made their home on the ranch north of Hershey where they spent their entire 66 years of married life. They had two loving sons, Gary and Dennis.

Esther was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church since 1940, a long-time member of Nichol's Ladies Aid Club and the PTA. When her sons were in school, they had room mothers and Esther was one for 10 years. She enjoyed her church, gardening, crocheting and card playing, when she wasn't doing housework or helping in the fields.

Esther is survived by her sons, Gary (Phyllis) Schuster and Dennis (Nicki) Schuster, all of Hershey; her dear grandchildren, Shawna (Mark) Speck, Dianna (Tim) Brannan, Thomas, Amy and Amanda Schuster, Melissa (Barry) Konicek, Keri (Levi) Fisher, Brandi (Jared) Hellmuth and Brittney (Joshua) Altwine; her great-grandchildren, Jena, Wade and Tayler Speck, Bobbi Jo, Britni and Garrett Brannan, Jalyne, Haeven and Tayton Schuster, Sage and Devin Konicek, McKenna and Peyton Fisher and Bryson and Baylor Hellmuth; a sister, Henrietta Donnelly of North Platte; two sisters-in-law, Jean Schuster of Hershey and Herda Brand of Wisner; special friends, Dan and Lois Beckmann of North Platte; and many nieces, nephews and other family.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, August, July 1, 2006; her parents and stepfather; four brothers, Edward, William, Charles and Walter; and three sisters, Jo Hannah Vyborney, Lydia Brehmer and Mable Carman.
The family has established a memorial.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Platte, with Pastor Robert Deardoff of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church officiating.

Burial will be in the North Platte Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore in North Platte and before service time Wednesday at the church.