Esther D. Stave

Esther Stave, age 91, passed away on Thursday, March 26, 2020 at the Eventide Heartland Care Center in Devils Lake, North Dakota. 

Esther was born on August 23, 1928 near Pleasant Lake/Knox to Fred and Lena (Garber) Brager.  She attended grade school in country schools in that area until the family moved northeast of Leeds; she graduated from Leeds High School; and was baptized and confirmed as a young adult in the Leeds Lutheran Church. 

She started a journey after high school, hoping to travel ‘around the world’ with a friend.  She lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Seattle, Washington before returning to the Leeds area.  She worked at the Red Owl Grocery store before her marriage on May 12, 1953 to Terrence Stave.  Esther and Terry were married in St. Olaf Church in Devils Lake in a small ceremony that included the Matron of Honor, the Best Man, and the Pastor.  They started their life together in a borrowed, abandoned farm house until they moved onto the farm west of Leeds that fall.  Her children know that it must have been a love match because she had no intention of ever marrying a farmer. 

Esther enjoyed nothing more than having the company of children, especially her grandchildren.  She loved being outside visiting with the neighbor children.  She was active in her church; she was a quilter, taught Sunday School (3 year olds) for several years, and worked at funerals, church meals, and other projects.  Her children remember her gardening, canning and freezing enough jellies, fruit, and garden produce to last through the winter. The coffee pot was always on, and she was constantly cooking and baking.  She enjoyed traveling with her friend Dovie; they made many trips to Bismarck and even ventured to Winnipeg and Minneapolis. Family and friends were important to her; she kept in contact with nephews and nieces, and her siblings; she enjoyed her brother Wayne stopping by to chat, and maintained long-term friendships with farm neighbors, and with other widows in her apartment complex.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Terry, and her sisters Thelma Messersmith and Frances Davidson. 

She is survived by her children, Karin Stave of Bismarck, Paul Stave and his wife Cindy of Grafton, Susan Lysne and her husband Eric of Devils Lake, her brother Wayne Brager of Leeds, and sister Bernadine Hall of Washington state; granddaughter Nicole Kjersten of Green Bush, Minnesota (husband Kelly, daughter Brylie), grandson Darren Stave of Lincoln ND, (wife Jodi, children Parker, Ben & Abigail)and granddaughters Maren Lysne, Christa Lysne, and Rachel Lysne-all of Grand Forks.  

"God treasures the death of His people for in their passing, He welcomes them home".