Esther Darrow

Esther Darrow, of Charles City, died Saturday, May 31, 2008, at the 9th street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.

Funeral services for Esther Darrow will be held 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Trinity United Methodist Church. Pastor Gary Van Wert will officiate. Burial will be in Sunnyside Memory Gardens rural Charles City.

Friends may call at the Hauser Funeral Home in Charles City from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Visitation will continue Wednesday at the church an hour prior to the service.

Esther Magdalene Legel Lines Darrow was born February 19, 1909, at Roanoke, Ill., the daughter of Louis and Anna (Brugger) Legel. The Legel family later moved to Nashua where she graduated from the Nashua High School. On September 26, 1931 she married Volna Lines. To this union two children, Merlin and Barbara, were born. It was on October 6, 1955, that Esther was united in marriage to Kenneth Darrow at Las Vegas, Nev. After Kenneth's retirement from Ford in 1985, they returned to Charles City. Esther was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. Her greatest joy was in sharing her life with the grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Living family members include two children, Merlin Lines of St. Croix Falls, Wis. and Barbara (Walt) Denson of Rapid City, S.D.; 7 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; five great great grandchildren; a brother, Edwin (Erica) Legel; and several sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Kenneth; a grandson, Tony Joe; a daughter-in-law, Geri Lines; and two sisters, Elsa Stille and Louise Wright.

Esther's family wishes to thank her special sisters-in-law, Judy Bluhm and Carol Litterer, for all their support over the past two years.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Trinity United Methodist Church, 601 Milwaukee Street, Charles City, IA 50616.

The Hauser Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, www.hauserfh.com, in Charles City, is in charge of arrangements.