Esther Lynch

Esther Marie DeWeerd was born March 13, 1909 on a farm near Alexandria, SD to Henry and Anna Marie (Schafer) DeWeerd. When Esther was five months old her father died and her mother and her two sisters moved to Plankinton, SD to her grandparents home. She attended Pleasant Lake Consolidated School for seven years and finished high school in Plankinton. She played basketball for two years and played in the girls' state tournament at The World's only Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD in 1926 where her team won the consolation cup. She graduated in 1927. She was baptized in the Catholic Church June 23, 1930 and married Louis Lynch June 25, 1930 in Plankinton, SD. They farmed near Plankinton before moving to Odin, MN in 1934. They lived in several places before moving to St. James, MN in 1943. Here husband preceded her in death in October of 1950. Esther did lots of babysitting, ironing, house cleaning and later worked at Tony Downs and Scheer-Tumico for 15 years before retiring in 1974. She enjoyed mission sewing, rummage sales, was a member of the Catholic Church, the WCCW, and Christian Mothers. Esther is survived by one daughter, Isabelle and husband Lonnie Valburg of Holton, KS; one son, James and wife Cassie Lynch of Albuquerque, NM; one daughter-in-law, Loretta Lynch of St. James; 13 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one son, Donald, one infant brother, two sisters and one grandson, Chris Valburg.