Hometown: Waukon formerly of Anamosa & Wyoming, Iowa October 24, 1927 - June 23, 2015

Esther Louise Thomas, 87, of Waukon and formerly of Anamosa and Wyoming, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Her funeral service will be held on Friday, June 26, 2015 at 11 a.m. at Zion American Lutheran Church in Wyoming, Iowa. A visitation will be held on Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Zion American Lutheran Church in Wyoming. Burial will be at Genoa Bluff Cemetery, rural Iowa County at 3 p.m. Lahey Funeral Home, Wyoming, Iowa, is assisting the family with the services. Esther Vetter was born October 24, 1927 in Nashua, Iowa to Carl and Anna Marie (Schultz) Vetter. She graduated from Warren County Rural High School and went on to get her Bachelor's degree in teaching from Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant. She also had attended Wartburg College in Waverly. On April 6, 1950 she was united in marriage to Dr. Byron H. Thomas in Alleman, Iowa. Both Byron and Esther's first full-time teaching jobs were in the Sheldahl Community School District. Esther taught for 25 years. She taught at Waverly, Sheldahl, Tipton, Manson and Midland school districts and retired in 1990. She is a longtime member of Zion American Lutheran Church in Wyoming. Esther will be remembered by close family and friends for her love of travel, especially with her husband; her love of quilting with members of the church; her love of teaching – she was an elementary teacher of English and history mostly; her enjoyment of game shows, word games and crossword puzzles; her volunteer spirit, as she was always willing to donate time for people, the community and her church; her love and dedication to family; and her beautiful smile. It is also important to note that Esther never needed fancy things to be happy; she was always content with the simple things in life. She is survived by five children; Marilyn Armstrong of Monticello, Illinois; Marlene (Greg) Palmer of Waukon, IA; Marcella "Marcy" Thomas of Anamosa, IA; Marlys (Troy) Barker of Nevada, IA; and Mark (Ginger) Thomas of Wyoming, IA; 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; a sister Elsie (Bob) Mosebach of Melbourne, IA; three brothers: Carl (Karen) Vetter of Alleman, IA; Melvin (Janice) Vetter of Huxley, IA; and Alvin Vetter of Alleman, IA. Esther is preceded in death by her parents, husband, a sister Mildred "Millie" and a brother and sister in infancy. Memorials may be directed to the family.