Esther Brown

Esther K. Brown, 85, of the Griswold Care Center in Griswold, Iowa, passed away Sunday afternoon, February 9, 2003. The daughter of Soren Jensen and Eureka Josephine (Christiansen) Sorensen, she was born on March 28, 1917, in Shelby County, Iowa. She grew up north of Massena, Iowa, where her parents farmed and she attended country school. Esther was united in marriage to George A. Brown, November 16, 1935 in the First Baptist parsonage in Atlantic, Iowa. Following their marriage, they lived in the Massena area for about 10 years. While George was in the service, they lived in California before going on to Bible School in Pineville, Kentucky. Following George's graduation, they both attended Tennessee Temple Bible School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Esther majored in art. They spent 10 years in Anita and Des Moines, Iowa before going to Fort Madison where they resided for 30 years. During their years there, Esther and George started the Grace Baptist Church, where he pastored and Esther was the housekeeper for the former Dr. Ed Delashmutt. In 1990, the couple returned to Cass County, living in Cumberland until moving to the Griswold Care Center, October 1, 2001.She is survived by her husband, George, of Griswold; one daughter, Marie Sears, of Burlington, Iowa; two grandsons, George Sears of La Harpe, Illinois; David Sears and wife Vicki, of Omaha, Nebraska; four great-grandchildren, Jacob, Miranda, and Jessica of Omaha, and Joshua of Waterloo, Illinois; and a number of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Soren and Eureka Sorensen; four brothers, Walt, Vig, Bill and Gene; and two sisters, Gladys and Emma.Funeral InformationServices for Esther will be held Thursday, February 13, 2003, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Cumberland, Iowa with Pastor Mike Martin officiating.Interment will be in the Newlon Grove Cemetery southwest of Cumberland.