Esther Lorene Schrock (Weaver)

Esther Lorene Schrock passed away at Vita Care Living in Ladysmith at the age of 103. She was born in Iowa on March 10, 1920, to Amos and Elizabeth (Grove) Weaver, the third of eight children. Esther met Leroy Schrock from Kansas at Heston College and were married in 1941.

For most of their lives they lived and dairy farmed in Rusk County. Esther's husband was the first pastor of the South Lawrence Mennonite Church. When Leroy stepped down from that position, they still continued having devotional services at several nursing homes regularly.

Leroy and Esther enjoyed singing together. She hoped they would have four children who would sing together, and they did — two boys and two girls - who sang quartet music before Rita, the youngest, could read.

Esther was active in the church's sewing circle and in feeding cows, picking rock and gardening. After selling the cows, Leroy and Esther bought a rug loom and worked together making hundreds of "Lester Rugs."

Leroy and Esther often sang the song, "The Longer I Serve Him, the Sweeter He Grows." Esther became a widow 23 years ago, when Leroy died of a heart attack in his sleep. Esther continued living on the home place actively sewing comforters, quilts and rugs until she was around 95 years old. Then Esther moved one-quarter mile down the road to live with Alvin and Rita Stoll, until mobility became an issue and she was moved into Vita Care in January 2023.

Besides her husband, Esther was preceded in death by her parents in a car accident in1961; her brothers: Floyd Weaver in 1945, Melvin Weaver in 1950 and Vernon Weaver in 1956 and her sisters: Mary Bontrager in 1954, Virginia Krabill in 2017, Goldie Miller in 2020 and Velma Yoder in 2023 and her daughter-in-law, Fanny Schrock in 1972.

Esther is survived by her four children: Elwood (Lorene) Schrock of Harrisonburg, Va. (formerly of Exeland): Arland (Esther) Schrock of New Market, Va.: Betty (Larry) Wilkins of Mt. Crawford, Va. and Rita (Alvin) Stoll of Glen Flora.

Esther's 12 grandchildren are: Ranene (Joseph) Ropp, Ramont (Elizabeth) Schrock, Radell (Sarah) Schrock, Ravonn (Rudi) Kauffman, Cynthia (Ben) Brunk, Dale (Melissa) Schrock, Dallas (Joy) Wilkins, Dennis (Melissa) Wilkins, Darrel (Heather) Wilkins, Ronda (Mark) Porter, Maria (Tim) Stone and Verlin (Lisa) Stoll.

Esther's 26 great-grandchildren are: Josiah and Noelle Ropp; Jonathan and Anna Schrock; Adalynn, Caleb and Micah Schrock; Greta and Sophie Kauffman; Braden and Ryan Brunk; Will Schrock; Brett, Jasper, Amber, Samuel, Branson, Tristan and Madelyn Wilkins; Daniel, Graycee and Isaiah Porter; Caleb and Hannah Stone, and Claire and Abby Stoll.

memorial service

Funeral Service

October 21, 2023

South Lawrence Mennonite Church N3795 WI-73, Glen Flora, WI 54526, USA

Visitation Friday, October 20 from 5:00 - 8:00 P.M. as well as for one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

Interment to follow service at South Lawrence Cemetery (1/2 mile north of the church)

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services