Esther M. Probst was born February 2, 1917 in Sioux City, IA, to Iver Anton and Millie Nygard (Iver Anton Olsen Jorgenvag and Malla Jacobia Byrkja). She went to be with her Lord on March 23, 2012 at the age of 95 years, 1 month, 21 days, from the Syracuse Community Memorial Hospital.

Esther was baptized April 1, 1917 at St. Peters Lutheran Church, Sioux City, IA by Rev. Helge Hoverstad. Esther was confirmed in 1933 by Rev. J. Wm. Carlson at St. John's Lutheran Church.

She graduated from Central High School in Sioux City January 26, 1935. She attended Lutheran Bible Institute, Minneapolis, MN from 1935-1936. She graduated from Lutheran Deaconess Nursing School, Chicago, IL in 1940. Esther's first employment as a Registered Nurse was in Chicago, IL at Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in 1940. She worked at various hospitals in Nebraska throughout the years, including Beatrice (where she met Fred), Lincoln, Tecumseh, Syracuse, Nebraska City, and Auburn, plus the Tecumseh Care Center. She retired from nursing in 1982. Esther married Fred W. Probst on November 1, 1941 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Sioux City (by Rev. J. Wm. Carlson). Their first home together was in Sterling, NE. Later, they lived on farms near Syracuse and Cook. Fred operated a cattle-feeding operation until he retired in 1977. He preceded her in death in May 1995. Her husband and four daughters were her dearest loves: Janet Marie Paul (David), Mud Butte, SD. Patricia Elaine Richmond (Robert) Waverly, NE. Beverly Helen Paul (Roger) Persia, IA. Darlene Joyce Bogdanoff (Mike) Whittier, CA. There are 13 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren, who gifted her with many smiles and letters throughout the years.

Esther cherished her Norway family; she was fluent in writing and speaking Norwegian through the exchange of hundreds of heartwarming letters, calls, and gifts. She enjoyed trips to Norway in 1969, 1991, and 1993.

Fred and Esther were faithful members of Grace Lutheran Church of Cook, NE. Esther was a past-president of the Church Women's Group, a member of Goldenrod Extension Club beginning in 1943, and the Cook Women's Club beginning in 1959. She chaired the Cook Band Mothers Cookbook project.

Esther was an accomplished seamstress using her talent to sew all of her and her children's clothing, (along with bridal dresses) for her 4 daughters. She won a long list of prizes from the Otoe and Johnson County Fairs for her sewing, canning, baked goods, fresh garden goods, and ceramics entries, with the highlight of winning Grand Champion in 1982 for her 4-piece suit entry.

Esther kept a bountiful garden to feed her family, along with canning several hundred quarts of fruits and vegetables each summer. She enjoyed photography; many of her community pictures are in the museum at Cook, NE. Another talent was hand-painting hundreds of pieces of ceramics and gifting her family and friends with these works of art. She will be missed by family and friends!

Funeral Services will be, Wednesday March 28, 2012 at 2:00 P.M. at Grace Lutheran Church, Cook, NE, with burial at Grace Lutheran Cemetery. Family suggests memorials to Grace Lutheran Church, Cook, NE, or the Gideon's.

VISITATION: Tuesday March 27 from 9 A.M. until 9 P.M. with family greeting friends from 6 until 8 P.M. at the funeral home.

Fusselman-Allen-Harvey Funeral Home Syracuse, NE (402) 269-2441