BOONE, Iowa—Esther Minnie Katharina (Hasstedt) Sprecher, 101, died peacefully at Eastern Star Masonic Home on May 23, 2022. She was born September 18, 1920 to Christoph and Anna Mindemann Hasstedt on their farm near Boone, Iowa. She was baptized on October 17, 1920 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church by Pastor Geisler. She then attended St. Paul’s Lutheran School and was confirmed on June 3, 1934 by Pastor T. Stephen. She was a lifetime member of St. Paul’s.
On March 26, 1944 she married Carl Sprecher at her parents’ home, officiated by Pastor H. M. Zagel. In 1946 Carl returned from serving in the U.S. Army during WWII in Burma, and they spent the rest of their married life farming near Boone, where they raised three children, Linda, Martin, and Gary.
Family was everything for Esther. She wrote letters every week to her children at a distance and looked forward to every visit and phone call. Sunday dinner was a ritual for those living nearby. Every member of the family owns at least 3 quilts that she lovingly handstitched. Grandchildren received blankets, sweaters, hats, mittens, pillowcases, Christmas stockings… anything she thought would make them happy.
Besides excelling in a variety of needlecrafts, she was also known for decorating cakes and arranging flowers, perfecting her skills while working at niece Loris Sprecher’s flower shop. She tended her flower beds and vegetable garden on the farm as long as she was able to hold onto a hoe—sometimes using it for support.
Neighbors would be amazed spotting her picking up fallen limbs and dragging them to the burn pile, even in her 90’s.
Esther wasted nothing. Every piece of fabric found its way into a quilt hand-pieced for Lutheran World Relief. Every partial skein of yarn became a dishrag given to anyone walking in the door.
Yarn was given to her so she could continue crocheting layette sets for babies in need until her eyes and hands just wouldn’t “work” for her anymore. She assembled thousands of bracelets to be distributed as reminders of Jesus, and made anything anyone asked of her to benefit church mission work. She lived her faith, always there for anyone who needed her help.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Carl, brothers Herman and Cecil Hasstedt, sister Elsie Sprecher, 10 sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, and a nephew.
Survivors include her daughter, Linda (Bob) Heithoff, and sons Martin (Doris) Sprecher, and Gary (Dee) Sprecher. Grandchildren are Andrea Heithoff, Chris Heithoff (Carien Veldpape), Erin Greb, Joshua Sprecher, Adam Sprecher, Sara (Shawn) Everson, and Jason Sprecher. Great-grandchildren include Isabel, Marco, and Wouter Heithoff-Veldpape, Annika Greb, and Esther Everson. Many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends were also dear to her heart.
Funeral services will be conducted at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 281 Spruce Lane, rural Boone, Iowa on Thursday, May 26, at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Wednesday, May 25, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Memorial gifts may be given toward St. Paul’s Lutheran Church or Lutheran World Relief.
Online condolences can be left at www.schroederfuneral.com
The Schroeder-Stark-Welin Funeral Home, 609 7th Street, Boone, Iowa is assisting the family with these arrangements.
Esther Sprecher, 101, Boone and the Eastern Star Masonic Home in Boone, Iowa
