Esther Karstensen

Esther Rosetta (Bishop) Karstensen, 94, a resident of the Atlantic Nursing And Rehab Center, passed away there Monday, July 9, 2001.The daughter of Sherman and Eliza Helena (Woche) Bishop, Esther was born September 6, 1906, at the Bishop farm north of Lewis. She was baptized and grew up attending the Lewis Congregational Church. Esther attended country school and graduated from the Lewis High School. She taught country schools in Cass County until her marriage to Holger Kartensen, February 19, 1930, at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church parsonage in Atlantic. They farmed in Shelby County and in the Buckcreek neighborhood of Cass County. Esther was active in the Buckcreek Church at the time. Holger and Esther retired in 1970 and then moved into Atlantic. Holger passed away March 30, 1988. Esther was a member of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church, the WELCA and Senior Citizens. Her hobbies were her needlework, flowers and genealogy.Surviving are two daughters, Frances Nelson and her husband, Robert, of Atlantic and Ethel Sturdevant and her husband, Fred, of Grimes, Iowa; six grandchildren, Steve Nelson and his wife, Tammie, Sandra Sothman and her fiancé, Rick Tighe, Shellie Anderson and her husband, Rob, Jenny Schuler and her husband, Larry, Peggy Wolfe and her husband, Richard, and Fred Sturdevant and his wife, Teri; 14 great-grandchildren, Caleb, Luke and Hannah Nelson, Sara Jensen and her husband, Nathan, Abby Sothman, Zachary and Joshua Anderson, Matt Savage and his wife, Heather, and Mike Savidge, Katie, Caryn and Kelly Albrecht, Andrea and Nicole Sturdevant; six great-step-grandchildren, Michalle and Melissa Hirsch, Laurel Wolfe, Ann Thomas, Maraline White and Theresa Krepe; two great-great-grandchildren, Rachel and Simantha Savidge; two sisters-in-law, Opal Bishop and Marvel Bishop; and a number of nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; five brothers, Harold, Mervin, Carl, Donald and Melvyn; two sisters, Clella Reuszer and Dorothy Campbell.Funeral InformationServices for Esther were held Saturday, July 14, 2001, at 1:30 PM at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa with Pastor Ron Barnett officiating.Interment was in the Atlantic Cemetery, Atlantic, Iowa.