Elsie Rose Lauer

Elsie Lauer

HARTINGTON — Elsie Rose Lauer, 89, Hartington, died March 5, 2023, at her residence, surrounded by her family after several years of declining health, when she was lovingly and tenderly cared for by her family in her home.

Mass of Christian Burial will be March 13, at 10:30 a.m., at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Hartington, with the Rev. Owen Korte officiating.

Burial will be at St. Michael’s Cemetery, Hartington. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, James Neiman, Aaron Brodersen, Brandon Rensch, Mathew Neiman, John Rogers, Kendon Rensch, Nate Wieseler, John Lauer and Colin Wieseler.

Visitation will be Sunday, at church, from 2-4 p.m. with a vigil service at 4 p.m. Visitation will continue Monday, one hour prior to services.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Hartington. Elsie Rose was born Jan. 14, 1934, to (Franz) Joseph and Mary Josephine (Wortmann) Hesse, on the original Anton Hesse homestead of 1872. She was the youngest of 11 children. She attended Bunker Hill country school and graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1951. Elsie attended Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Yankton, S.D., and enjoyed working as a nurse for medical clinics in Coleridge and Hartington for more than 50 years. Elsie married Donald H. Lauer July 2, 1953, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Bow Valley, and they had eight children. Don and Elsie farmed and ranched on various locations in the Hartington and Bow Valley area, moving back to the original homestead in 1971, where Elsie resided for 45 years before moving into Hartington in 2016.

Elsie is survived by seven children, Mary Jo (Jim) Neiman, Coleridge; Jean Marie Lauer, Yankton, S.D.; Joan (Dr. Ron) Brodersen, Hartington; Cheryl (Gary) Rensch, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Diane Rogers (George Proud), Chaska, Minn.; Ron (Carmen) Lauer, Hartington; and Carol (Clair) Wieseler, St. Helena; 23 surviving grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Rita Leader, Darlene Schmidt, Irma Wiepen and Donna (Steve) Adam; and brother-in-law, Larry (Kathy) Lauer.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Don, June 30, 2001; her son, John, Dec. 24, 1979; a grandson, Jack Lauer, Dec. 13, 1993; her parents, Joe Hesse August 1982, and Mary Hesse September 1972; Siblings, Loretta (Sylvester) Burbach, 2003; Helen (Bernard) Pieckenbroch, 2004; Edwin Hesse, 2009; Alfred Hesse, 1994; Richard Hesse, 2017; Mary Ann (Owen) Koenig, 2006; Joseph “Bud” Hesse, 2018; Sally Hesse, 2003; and Betty (Charles) Foxhoven, 2022.