Esther Elizabeth (Petersen) Faugstad died peacefully on Sunday December 4, 2022 at the Lake Mills Care Center in Lake Mills, Iowa surrounded by her loving family. She was 91.

Esther E. Faugstad

A funeral service will be held at 1:30 PM on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at the Scarville Evangelical Lutheran Church, 411 Logan Street in Scarville, Iowa with Pastor Joshua E. Skogen officiating.

Visitation will be on Friday, December 9 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM at Schott Funeral Homes, Mittelstadt Chapel, 902 E. Main St. in Lake Mills and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

Burial will be in the Scarville Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural Scarville.

Memorials may be directed to the Scarville Evangelical Lutheran Church, 411 Logan St., Scarville, IA 50473; to Bethany Lutheran College, 700 Luther Drive, Mankato, MN 56001 or https://blc.edu/about/ways-to-give/ ; or to the Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st St., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131 or www.parkinson.org

Esther Elizabeth Petersen was born on June 2, 1931 in Forest City, Iowa to the Rev. Justin A. and Nettie (Knutson) Petersen. She was baptized and confirmed at the Scarville Evangelical Lutheran Church where she also attended school. Esther graduated from Bethany Lutheran High School and Bethany Lutheran Jr. College with a teaching certificate. She taught Christian Day School for two years in Iowa.

On September 21, 1952, Esther married Conrad O. Faugstad and they settled in the Scarville area. Esther and Conrad were blessed with 7 children: Karin, Ruth, Kathleen, Rhoda, Rachel, Andrew and Christine.

Esther was a wonderful wife, homemaker, mother, host, chef, gardener, piano teacher, secretary, organist and baker among other talents, all of which she enjoyed doing as a way to share the gifts she was given. Esther was the church organist for many years, playing for countless Sunday services, funerals, and weddings and she was also the founder of the youth choir at the Scarville Synod Church. In addition, many local children took piano lessons from Esther; she could exercise much patience when necessary!

Family get-togethers were always joyous occasions for Esther, the more the merrier! She always had a knack for being able to cook a meal, bake goodies and host a party for 50 but making it appear effortless. In her free time, Esther enjoyed traveling, reading and playing cards.

Esther had a quick wit, great sense of humor, quiet demeanor, heart of gold, and an unwavering faith.

She is preceded in death by her parents Rev. Justin and Nettie Petersen; husband Conrad O. Faugstad in 2013; and 6 siblings and their spouses, Justin (and wife Orla) Petersen, Joseph (and wife Shirley) Petersen, Camilla (and husband Nels) Faugstad, Paul (and wife Lois) Petersen, Wilhelm “Bill” (and wife Naomi) Petersen, and an infant sister Esther, whom she was named after.

Esther is lovingly remembered by her children Karin (Dan) Follmer of Wauconda, IL, Ruth (Laun) Sanderson of Plymouth, MN, Kathleen (Karl) Bloedel of Lake Mills, IA, Rhoda (Paul) Obermeyer of Wells, MN, Rachel (Thomas) Hamlin of Minnetonka, MN, Andrew (Debora) Faugstad of Northwood, IA, and A. Christine (Steven) Wold of Minneapolis, MN; 15 grandchildren: Douglas (Erin) Follmer, Rachel (Brandon Rogers) Follmer, Kirsten (Rusty) Planert, Kelly (Brian Bisesi) Sanderson, Jennifer (Benjamin) Slutsker, Chad (Talia) Bloedel, Nicolas (Kelly Jo) Bloedel, Alexander (Larissa) Bloedel, Elizabeth (Matthew) Sulzle, Constance (Arthur) Langhorst, Kara (Cory Dornack) Obermeyer, Michael (Heather) Obermeyer, Matthew Obermeyer, Luke Hamlin, and Danielle Wold; 36 beautiful great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Adela Faugstad of Scarville, Iowa; and many nieces, nephews, extended relatives and friends.

You can contact the family with on-line condolences at:

www.schottfuneralhomes.com