On November 23, 2020, Esther Louise Grosskopf Miller, age 101, gently passed away as she lay sleeping. She was born at home on June 6, 1919 to Louise and Charles Grosskopf. For 101 years, Wausau had been her home. She shared many memories of what life was like in Wausau as she grew up. As a kid, she enjoyed morning swims at McDonald's Pool, neighborhood softball teams playing each other in an informal "city league", daring to ride a bicycle, wintertime sledding down unplowed Wausau streets especially "Steepy", and countless hours of ice skating to music with friends.
Esther graduated from Wausau High, attended NTC and began working in the office of Pope Brothers Trucking. There she met a handsome quiet young man who was to become her husband. Lyle Miller and Esther Grosskopf were married on May 6, 1944. They shared forty-three years of marriage and parented four children--Andrea, Jackie, Marcy and Chuck.
Esther had many interests. She loved flowers and became expert at planning and tending beautiful flower gardens in her yard. She raised vegetables, grew herbs, berry bushes and apple trees, and used their bounty as she cooked and baked. She enjoyed experimenting with recipes and in 1948 she was awarded a Certificate of Recipe Endorsement from the Better Homes and Gardens Taste Test Kitchen for her Barbequed Chicken recipe! The weekly kuchens and cinnamon rolls enjoyed by her family were the best. She was an extraordinary seamstress who created tailored suits, pleated wool skirts, wedding dresses, slipcovers and draperies. In the late 1950s, she even sewed a screen house for our camping weekends! She knit afghans for all her children and grandchildren and countless hats and mittens. Baby blankets greeted her great grandchildren. She could lose herself in a good book and advocated reading as a way to learn through the many experiences, perspectives and examples played out on the pages. She also dearly loved playing cards whether it was bridge with friends or a wild game of TIC with her family. She frequently won those games and in fact, was a winner in what was to be her last card game.
Esther was a life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Her first grade class was the very first group of children to occupy the newly built Trinity Lutheran School. She was part of the women's group, Social Workers, for many years and eventually served as its President. Her faith was an important part of her life.
Her love for her family was shown in countless ways. She was genuinely interested in our work, our travels, our goals and our thoughts. She enjoyed watching her grandchildren become adults and every great-grandchild story made her smile. We will all miss this very special lady.
Esther is survived by her children, Andrea(John) McCarrier, Columbus, Ohio; Jacquelin (Ken) Hastreiter, Woodruff, WI; Margaret (Tom) Rau, Wausau, WI and Charles (April) Miller, Soldier's Grove, WI. She is survived by her grandchildren Rebecca (Glenn) Kuenzler, Meghan (Brennan) Harding, Shannon (David) Brunner, Jessica (Daniel) Nordskog, Joshua (Lyndsay) Rau, Benjamin (Sara) Rau, Zachary Rau, Alysha (Reid) Hamann, Bethany (Joshua) Baumgartner, and Chelsea (Ryan) Miller. Her great grandchildren include Max, Leo and Sam Kuenzler, Reece, Isaac, and Elliot Harding, James Brunner, Liam Nordskog, Noah, Meredith and Caleb Hamann and Lylla and Brogan Baumgartner.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Louise and Charles Grosskopf, her husband, Lyle Miller, and her brothers Edgar (Ilene) Grosskopf, Elmer (Elaine) Grosskopf, and Edwin (Janet) Grosskopf.
A private family service was held at Peterson Kraemer Funeral Home. Burial was at Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau, Wisconsin.
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