63904_Howard_Esser
Howard Esser, age 86, of Algona, died on Sunday, January 5, 2014 at the Algona Good Samaritan Care Center. Funeral services will be 1:00 PM Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona, with Rev. Joseph Seifert officiating. Burial will be in St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Whittemore, with military rites conducted by the Seely-Walsh American Legion Post #425 of Whittemore. Visitation will be 4-7 pm Wednesday at the Lentz Funeral Home in Algona.
Howard Otto “Butch” Esser, the son of Joe and Adelia (Wagner) Esser, was born on April 19, 1927 in Whittemore, Iowa. He graduated from Whittemore High School in 1945. Howard served in the U.S. Army during WWII. After his service he worked for the Kossuth County Road Department. On September 15, 1957 Howard was united in marriage with Verona Zumach at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Whittemore. They owned and operated Butch’s Steak House in Whittemore from 1960-65. Howard then worked as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service until 1991. He was a lifelong public servant working on many committees, the Algona City Council from 1982-2009 and serving as Mayor Pro Tem. Howard was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church where he had served as an elder. He was also a member of the Algona VFW Post #2541 and the Seely-Walsh American Legion Post #425 in Whittemore. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, following the Twins and Cubs, coin collecting, gardening, coaching and being involved in youth sports and spending time with his family.
Left to cherish Howard’s memory is his wife of 56 years, Verona; three daughters, Denise Krause of Granger, Debra Cunningham of Waukee and Deanna Esser and her fiancé Jason Berte of Algona; twin sons, Randy Esser and his wife Shannon of Melrose and Ryan Esser and his wife Rebecca of Detroit Lakes, MN; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant grandson, Frederick Esser; brothers, J. Roland Esser and Harold “Red” Esser; and a sister, Katherine Pompe Selichnow.