Esther I. White

Esther Ione (Suhr) White, 76, of Sabetha, KS, died Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, at the Sabetha Community Hospital after a brief battle with cancer. She was born Nov. 3, 1937, in rural Douglas County, NE, the daughter of Edwin and Gladys (Petersen) Suhr.  

Esther graduated from Bennington High School in 1955. After obtaining her teaching certificate, she taught at Wranch School in Washington County, NE, from 1955-1957. 

She married Lee Allen White of Sabetha at Bethany Lutheran Church in Omaha on May 26, 1957. After the birth of their children, Esther returned to school at Peru State College, graduating in 1972. In the fall of 1972 she began teaching in the Dawson-Verdon School system, where she taught 6th, 3rd and 4th graders until her retirement in 1998.

Esther and Lee have lived since their marriage on a farm two miles north of Sabetha. She attended First Lutheran Church in Sabetha and served as Sunday School teacher, Sunday school Superintendent and was a member and president of Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. For many years, Esther served as secretary for the Albany Historical Society.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Waunita Hamernick, a brother, Arnold Suhr and a nephew.

Survivors include her husband, Lee White, Sabetha; children, Tami (John) Rutten, Bossier City, LA, Todd (Delores) White, Steinauer, Terylin (Alan) Keehn, Wetmore, KS, Teresa (Curtis) Deckinger, Sabetha, John (Dana) White, White Cloud, KS, Jeff White, Topeka, KS, Bill (Charleen) White, Hiawatha, KS, and Joleen White, of Texas; 22 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were Monday, Feb. 24, at the First Lutheran Church in Sabetha. Visitation was Sunday at the Popkess Mortuary Chapel in Sabetha. Interment was at the Albany Cemetery, north of Sabetha. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sabetha Lutheran Church, Albany Historical Society or the Caring Neighbor’s Fund of Sabetha, sent in care of the funeral home, 823 Virginia, Sabetha, KS.
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