Esther Violet King, 104
Esther Violet King, 104, Drayton, N.D., was called home to be with Jesus on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016. She passed away at the Lutheran Sunset Home, Grafton, N.D. where she had resided for the last four years of her life.
Esther was born Dec. 7, 1911 near Clearbrook, Minn. to Swedish immigrants Peter and Johanna Lindmark. She attended the local country school in rural Leonard, Minn., where the family farmed. As a young woman she moved to the Twin Cities for employment as a nanny. During that time, she spent evenings attending classes at St. Paul Bible College where she met her future husband, Elmer C. King.
Elmer and Esther were married June 16, 1936, in Onamia, Minn., and the new pastor and his wife began serving churches throughout the upper Midwest including parishes in MacGregor, Neb.; Foley, Minn.; Vesta, Minn.; Langdon, N.D.; Stephen, Argyle and Blackduck, Minn.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Renville/Delhi, Minn.
Esther served alongside her husband as a pastor’s wife, Sunday School teacher, youth leader, women’s ministry leader, and vocalist for over 60 years, all the while making a lovely home for her family in each parsonage where they lived.
After retiring from the full-time pastorate in 1978, Elmer and Esther built a new home of their own together in Thief River Falls, Minn. From that base, they were near their foster daughter, Mary, and her family, as well as their Clearwater Lake cabin.
While living in Thief River, the couple served as an interim pastorate in East Grand Forks, Minn., and provided interdenominational pulpit supply for churches throughout the area. When Elmer would preach, Esther would provide the special music, often accompanying herself on her Omni chord.
In 1991, they moved to Drayton, N.D., to be closer to their daughter, Betty, and her family and spent their winters in Phoenix, Ariz., near their son, Bob, and his family as they continued to lead Bible studies, provide pulpit supply, and serve in whatever opportunity arose.
After Elmer’s passing in 1997, Esther eventually moved to Tisdale Manor in Drayton, where she lived until just before her 100th birthday.
Esther leaves the lasting legacy of a faith-filled, joyful life for her surviving family members: son, Robert King of Dallas, Tex.; daughter, Betty (Terry) Dahl, Drayton; foster daughter, Mary Dirksen, Thief River Falls; ten grandchildren, Cheryl (Luther) Anderson, Lynelle (Matt) Plevak, Scott (Michelle) Dahl, Bethany (Craig) Butler, Kristopher (Kim) Dahl, Steven King, Douglas (Angie) King, Racheal (Travis) Pickle, Clifton Burroughs, and Travis (Birgit) Burroughs; 23 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Elmer, on Sept. 18, 1997; four brothers, Elmer, John, Oscar, and Arthur Lindmark; four sisters, Henny Lindmark, Betty Hanson, Amy Sorenson, and Hilda Lundmark; her daughter-in-law, Eunice King; and granddaughter-in-law, Melinda King.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 5, 1 p.m., at Teien Covenant Church, rural Drayton. Rev. Steve Grosz, presiding; Ken and Becky Berge, duet; Linden Johnson, soloist.
Honorary casket bearers were Esther’s grandchildren and great grandchildren. Casket bearers were Scott Dahl, Kristopher Dahl, Luther Anderson, Matthew Plevak, Craig Butler, Steven King and Douglas King.
Visitation was held at the church Friday evening, Nov. 4, 6 to 8 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Interment was in the Teien Covenant Church Cemetery.
Arrangements by Austin Funeral Homes.
