Esther Yantzer

Esther Yantzer, 84, of Mandan, died peacefully Thursday, January 4, 2018, at her home at Sunset Drive – A Prospera Community with family by her side.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, January 9, 2018, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Mandan, with Rev. Shane Campbell celebrating.  Burial will be at Mandan Union Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 PM on Monday, January 8, at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home, Mandan, with a Rosary/Parish Vigil at 7:00 PM.

Esther was born June 21, 1933, in Judson, ND to Joseph and Rose (Gratz) Kautzman. She was raised on the family farm north of Judson and attended rural schools in the area. She married Raymond Yantzer on June 21, 1954. In her early married life, Esther was a stay-at-home mom. Later, she provided in-home day care, waitressing at the Moose Club in Mandan and worked at the Mandan Golden Age Center. Esther’s greatest joy was cooking German meals for her family. She also enjoyed camping, gardening, and having coffee with her twelfth street friends.

She is survived by her children: Marlys (Ron) Balkowitsch, Mandan and their children Troy (Heather) and Brandon (Nicole); Myron (Mary Jo) Yantzer, Canton, Ohio and their children Jessica (Chris) Musard and Nathan (Tracy); Marlene (Steve) Hulm, Mandan and their son Brian; Mark (Shelley) Yantzer, Mandan and their children Justin (Brittany) and Tori (Ryan) Spletstoser; Margaret (Dwight) Rasmussen, Washburn and their children Heather (Ben) Seidler, Darin (Danielle Boyle) and Jeffrey (Sarah); Michele (Terry) Himmelspach, Bismarck and their children Ashley (Eric) Hieb, Tara (Zach Herrmann) Himmelspach, Kristin (Brett Berge) Himmelspach; Michael Yantzer, Bismarck and his children Kelly (Lance Zimmer) Yantzer and Madison Yantzer; Mary (Brad Johnson) Fitterer, Mandan and her children Hailey (Nate Guck) Fitterer and Jared; her great-grandchildren Tate Balkowitsch, Kadyn and Jasper Balkowitsch, Chloe Wilson-Musard, Asher Yantzer (due in March), Dylan Yantzer, Skyla Hoiby, Alex, Lacy and Kinsey Seidler, Mason Hieb, and Wyatt Towne; her sisters Beatrice Mosbrucker and Eileen (Ken) Otto; her brothers Wilbert, Ervin, Raymond (Darlene), James and Dennis (Sheila) Kautzman; sisters-in-law Helen and Lolly Berger and Paulette (Howard) Windhorst; and brother-in-law Melvin (Marjean) Yantzer; her special friends Terry and Francis Helbling and her twelfth street friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her grandson Eric Hulm; her parents; sisters-in-law Delores, Frances, and Veronica Kautzman; brothers-in-law Pete Mosbrucker, John and Ray Berger, and Henry Yantzer.