Obituary for Esther Mary Toepfer

Esther Mary Toepfer, age 94, passed away peacefully at home in Mount Vernon, Iowa, on April 16, 2026, surrounded by her daughter, Darla, and granddaughter, Chloe.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on May 2, 2026, at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church in Perry, Iowa, with a luncheon to follow. Esther will be cremated and later interred at Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa.

Esther is survived by her daughter, Darla (Steve) Benson; grandchildren, Chloe (KJ) Skyles, Logan (Harleen) Benson, Cassie Toepfer, Sebrina Searl, and Haley Toepfer; great-grandchildren, Joe, Aubree, Bennett, Erik, and Lily; and honorary grandchildren, Reid Benson and Abby Andrews Juhl; and dog, Abby. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband, Kenneth Toepfer, in 2014; her son, Gary Toepfer, in 2019; and her grandson, Brandon Toepfer, in 2022. Esther was the last surviving of eight siblings born to her parents.

Esther Mary Burton was born on November 2, 1931, in Boone County, Iowa, to Jess and Emma (Scott) Burton. She married Kenneth Toepfer on September 22, 1951. Together they made their home in Perry, Iowa, where they raised their children, Darla and Gary. Esther lived in Perry until 2019, when she moved to Mount Vernon to live with her daughter, Darla, and later with her granddaughter, Chloe.

Esther was a caretaker. She began caring for children as a preteen, staying with her older sisters, Marie and Hazel, to help with her nephews. Over the years, she babysat well over 100 children in her home and also worked at the Perry Lutheran Home. Caring for others was who she was.

She loved being involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren. Together, Papa (Ken) and Gramma (Esther) introduced the family to the joys of camping and created countless cherished memories. Esther could always be found cheering from the sidelines—whether at baseball, softball, basketball, motocross, soccer, dance performances, poetry readings, or piano recitals. She was a constant and devoted supporter.

A fantastic cook and baker, Esther taught two generations of children in the kitchen, many of whom learned while standing beside her on a chair at the counter. In her later years, working in the yard became one of her greatest passions. Fallen leaves were her number one enemy, and she took pride in keeping a perfectly “neat” yard.

Esther was a strong-willed, stubborn, farm-raised woman. No task was too hard for her. She was fiercely independent, deeply determined, and admired by all who knew her. She has been admired and loved and will be greatly missed.