Esther Miller

Esther Miller, 96, of Gering, Nebraska entered her heavenly home on Saturday, August 16, 2014. Her funeral service will be held at 10am on Monday, August 25 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Scottsbluff with Pastor Jeffrey Grams officiating. Interment will follow at West Lawn Cemetery in Gering. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Joliffe Funeral Home in Scottsbluff is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at http://www.jolliffefuneralhome.com. The family has respectfully requested that in lieu of flowers, memorials in Esther's honor be made to The Compassionate Friends, The Lutheran Hour, or St. John's Lutheran Church.

Esther was born May 17, 1918 in Bertrand, Nebraska to Rev. Carl Phillip and Louise (Melcher) Pebler and was baptized into the Christian faith on May 19, 1918, and confirmed her faith March 20, 1932 with her father performing both rites. She received her schooling at Zion Lutheran School, Ellis, Nebraska; St. John's Lutheran School in Kimball, Nebraska; and graduated from Kimball High School in 1936. She attended Scottsbluff Junior College after her graduation from high school and it was here that she met her future husband. They were married on August 28, 1938 by Esther's father in Kimball, Nebraska and they lived in Scottsbluff prior to moving to Bremerton, Washington, where Herman was stationed at the US Naval base. Upon their return, they made their permanent home in Gering, Nebraska.

Esther worked as a dental assistant, in government operated day cares during the war, and at Gering Junior HIgh school as a library assistant. She was a hospital volunteer, a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday School for 22 years, was a member of the Evening Guild and Missionary Society, and served on the Board of Education. She was a charter member of The Compassionate Friends, Inc., serving as secretary and producing the monthly newsletter.

Esther was preceded in death by her husband, Herman; her son, Douglas; her parents Carl and Louise Pebler; her seven siblings: Carl, Paul, Pauline Flohr, Caroline, Walter, Ruth Fancher, and Martin Pebler; as well as three nephews, three nieces, and one grand niece.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Rex and Debbie Carter and her five grandchildren who were all very dear to her: Kandice, Christopher, Kara, Cassandra and Courtney, all of Aurora, Colorado. She also leaves behind one nephew, Gerald Pebler of Englewood, Colorado; two nieces, Beverly Calhoun (Gene) of Casper, Wyoming and Darlene Massoni of Cheyenne, Wyoming; in addition to ten great nieces and six great nephews. Esther will be greatly missed by all whose lives she touched and her memory will live on each of them.