Esther P. Riemer, 83 of Madison, passed away on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at her home. 

Esther was born on May 2, 1941, in Illinois, the daughter of Leonard and Arlene (Roath) Larson. On June 11, 1960, in Richmond, IL, Esther married Donald Riemer and the couple shared 62 years of marriage together before his passing in 2023. 

Esther has six children, 20 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren. Two grandchildren preceded her in death. 

From Esther’s six children:

Mom

Sweet

Forgiving

Loving to all!

Accepting

Loved God’s beautiful creation and the creativity He gave to each of us.

Loved having her house beautiful and clean, yet, she allowed family and friends to bring chaos into whatever space she called home. She enjoyed the mess more than the perfection.  She enjoyed the noise more than the peace and quiet.

She ALWAYS lit up when family came into the room.

Dancing

Dancing with grandkids

Dancing a polka while cleaning

Dancing at weddings

Dancing with Dad

Even in her last hours she recognized the beer barrel polka and danced from her bed!

Now she is dancing FOREVERMORE!

Now she is dancing with her amazing love, JESUS!

Love you Mom

Leah

Mom was an extremely loving and caring person, and was very supportive of her husband, children, and grandchildren. She loved kids and being with them. She loved playing games and was quite competitive. She was an avid Cubs fan and she really enjoyed the 2016 Cubs World Series win. She enjoyed watching her kids compete in sports, and I loved it when she would cheer "That's my boy!!" from the stands.

She was very friendly to everyone and had a quiet and calm demeaner. She always provided me guidance and was a voice of reason for me. I Love Her very much and will miss her greatly.


I'm so blessed to be Esther's son. She filled our home with faith, fun and love. Whenever I had troubles throughout my life, Mom was always a comfort. She led me to my relationship with Jesus! My time with my parents has been so wonderful that I have always wanted heaven to be a place where I can revisit certain times with my family. Her and Dad were a great example of an awesome marriage! She had an amazing, but sneaky sense of humor. Mom was great at games, (sometimes to my frustration) and played them pretty near to the end. Every in-law was treated as part of the family. I'm so thankful for the love she showed my wife Angela. She created a legacy of faith and love that will last generation after generations. Every time one of us would leave, she would stand outside or go the window and blow kisses. We're blowing kisses to you now Mom!

She was the epitome of the word “mother” and so greatly reflected the heart of Jesus.  Her whole life was Jesus, then her family.  She taught us about our Father God and so many aspects of life as a Christian, but also taught us the value of fun, laughter, games, hard work, creativity, and loving others well.  A few examples: she excitedly hand-painted each of my 300 wedding invitations and response cards, and after moving out of state whenever we came home to Wisconsin for a visit, we cherished our mornings drinking coffee and talking about the things of God - she always wanted to hear what I was learning about Jesus! She was always there for us, not just as kids but into all parts of our lives as we grew, then into her grandkids’ and great grandkids’ lives.  There’s not enough time to tell all the amazing stories of what she gave to the people in her life.  Truly everyone loved her because they always felt her love for them and her gentle, joyful presence.  She will be intensely missed!

My Mom was just so easy to be around.  I loved being around her.  I delighted in being around her.  I often chose a hangout night with Mom and Dad rather than to be with a group of friends—even in high school.  There was no pretense with her.  No drama.  No worry.  She was comfortable and safe, fun and childlike, and ready to talk with great excitement about Jesus and the eternity she would spend with Him.  Her faith in Him was shared with her simple words and also her God-given ability to sit patiently with you and offer encouragement and insight —although most times that encouragement and insight was unspoken.  It was her reassuring presence and her reliance on God that spoke through her.  She never seemed rushed to move on to the next thing.  You were there with her.  You mattered in that moment.  

Mom was pretty much up for everything - including being in our productions.  She was hit by a car for my high school movie.  She and Dad danced in celebration of vegetables for my music video.  She did these things for us—not to say, “look at what I can do.”  Never.  She would push through her reservations of mild embarrassment to make us kids laugh when we had specific requests, “Mom, say sushi.”  “Shooshee.”  “No, sushi.”  “Shooshee.”  Or the one she really didn’t like to do—but again she did it for us—her rather terrible impression of Hannibal Lecter when playing marbles.  When Mom got laughing hard it was the most beautiful sound in the world.  It was infectious and made all of us to look to each other to make sure everyone was appreciating just how delightful the moment was.  

The encouragement and support she effortlessly offered is unmatched.  No drive was too far, no other happenings took precedence over her children’s or grandchildren’s concerts, sporting events, or special days.  And we can all hear and see her shouting her encouragements (“That’s my boy!”) and clapping loudly and enthusiastically for us.  The confidence I have today in the gifts God has given me were nurtured and celebrated by her.  She delighted in me - and all of her loved ones.  I think this is why I don’t embarrass easily.  I have known that Mom and Dad would love and support me in everything - even when I failed.  This is the heart of our Father in Heaven that she modeled so well.  Mom’s eyes would light up with excitement whenever we would have a conversation about Jesus.  He was and is her everything.  And she shared her childlike faith with her entire family. 

My heart is broken.  This is a tremendous loss for so many.  For her children and grandchildren, her dear sister and best friend, and for the countless friends of her children and grandchildren who were welcomed and embraced as family upon their very first meeting.  My wife and all of my siblings’ spouses can attest to this instant love and acceptance. “Mother-in-law” jokes don’t apply to Mom.  She was loved immensely by all six of her in-law children.  

As Mom’s body and mind began to fail in her last years, her faith in Jesus remained strong.  On the last night that Mom was able to speak, her words to me were so clear.  “The Lord has to do it, Noah. I learned don’t just ask for little things.  Ask God for big things.”  She then proceeded to give me an example of what she is praying for my wife and I.  That is my Mom.  Faithful. Childlike. Beautiful inside and out.  And always thinking of and praying for her dear family.  

I know with certainty, only because of God’s gracious love and mercy shown through Jesus’ death and resurrection, that Mom is now clapping louder, laughing harder, dancing more joyfully, and “woo-hoo”-ing more enthusiastically than we can fathom—all in praise and adoration of the King of Kings.  Forever!

It’s hard to put into words what Mom meant to my family and me. As I tried, I thought, “she was just so secure and quiet, like a foundation to a house that doesn’t draw any attention to itself. You end up noticing all the things in a home that are decorations or things that are meant to draw your attention, but Mom was just strong and sturdy and holding the whole thing together.”

She didn’t need the attention and praise, but we all can recognize the faith, strength, and love that we have been privileged to receive from her.
She taught us how to have fun and not take ourselves too seriously. How to have faith in tough times. How to forgive and give huge amounts of grace. She had contagious excitement about Jesus. And an intense appreciation for every life that entered this world. Babies and children had her full attention.
Mom, I’m so happy that you are in the arms of Jesus, whole and receiving all the understanding of what you’ve meant to this world.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at the Olsen-Gibson Funeral Home of Jefferson with Aaron Zorn presiding. A time of fellowship will follow at the funeral home.