Esther Margaret Knecht, 94, of Floyd, IA passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 6, 2022.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, November 13, 2022, from 2-5 p.m. with a 1:30 p.m. Rosary Service at Fullerton-Hage Funeral Home, 401 Blunt Street, Charles City. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. with a one- hour prior visitation on Monday, November 14, 2022, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 106 Chapel Ln, Charles City. Father Tom Heathershaw will be officiating, and burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Charles City.
Esther Margaret (Eischeid) Knecht was born January 31, 1928, in Whittemore, IA, to Aloysius and Josephine (Truhe) Eischeid. On February 14, 1950, Esther was united in marriage to Herbert E. Knecht in St. Cecelia’s Catholic Church in Algona, IA. The couple lived in the Algona area until moving to Charles City in 1962, where they worked the family farm together.
Esther was a homemaker and took great pride in her vegetable gardens, as well as her beautiful flower beds. She was very skilled at freezing and canning the produce from her gardens along with the fruit trees on the farm that fed her family. She was an accomplished seamstress and clothing patcher. She was a very hardworking and strong woman, friend and mother.
Her most noted passion (in addition to her gardening) was her joy in making rugs on her weaving loom which was a very technical process. Esther took great pleasure in showing anyone that was interested in how to make a rug. She lives on in her greatest gifts from our Lord, her family.
She is survived by her children, Irvin Knecht, Brian Knecht, Mary (Paul) Hurley, Diane (Mike) Lavenz, David (Tami) Knecht, Daniel (Bette) Knecht, Mark (Lynn) Knecht, Steven (Julia) Knecht, Jean Oudekerk, Theresa (Ron) Stewart, Catherine (Russ) Groesbeck, Charles (Teresa) Knecht, Francis Knecht; 40 grandchildren, 55 great grandchildren and 19 great, great grandchildren, sister Irene Kramer, sisters-in-law Leola Knecht, Kim Eischeid, kinsperson Janis Bierstedt and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Herbert Knecht in 2005 and son, Dennis Knecht, in 2011 and brother, Merlin Eischeid, in 2022 and great-grandson, Jordon Nehls.
A special Thanks to St. Croix Hospice, Jeanette, Candy, Nicole, Heather, Ellen and many others that cared for our mother.
Thoughts, condolences and stories may be sent to the family at www.fullertonfh.com. Fullerton-Hage Funeral Home, 401 Blunt St, Charles City, IA 50616, 641-228-4211.
