Dolores "Jeanne" Esser - Amazing Madison

Dolores “Jeanne” Esser, 94, of Howard formerly of Canova passed away on Monday, July 18, 2022, at the Good Samaritan Society, Howard, South Dakota. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30am, Friday, July 22, 2022, at St. Agatha Catholic Church, Howard with burial to follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Howard. Visitation will be from 5pm to 7pm on Thursday July 21, 2022, at St. Agatha Church with a Scripture Service at 7pm. Jeanne was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on May 27, 1928, to Frank and Mahrie (Hazleton) Gillen. Jeanne attended Franklin and Whittier School and graduated from Sioux Falls Washington High School in 1946. Jeanne attended the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jeanne then worked at the telephone company in Minneapolis for two years. Jeanne met Martin Esser at a wedding dance in Howard and were united in marriage on February 1, 1954. In 1959 they bought a farm west of Canova where the raised their family, livestock, and crops until retirement in 1992, when they moved into Howard. Some of Jeanne’s hobbies included sewing, decorating cakes, dancing, golfing, water aerobics, crocheting and reading. Those grateful for having shared in her life include her children: Linda (Loren) Koepsell of Sioux Falls; Dan (Carla) Esser ; Leanne (Cory) Eich; Dean (Darcy) Esser; David (Barb) Esser all of Canova; 12 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren and 2 step great grandchildren. Jeanne was preceded in death be her husband Martin (2019), her parents, a brother Dale Gillen, and a granddaughter Allison Koepsell.