Esther Rieger

Esther Rieger, 80, Bismarck, died July 30, 2011, at Medcenter One. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 AM at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bismarck with Rev. Craig Schweitzer officiating. Burial will be at the ND Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 5:00 - 9:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service and will continue on Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Esther was born on October 25, 1930, in Burnstad, ND, the daughter of Johan Adam and Katherina Heiser Kuebler. Esther graduated from Wishek High School in 1949. She was employed at the Wishek Public Library during her high school years. Following graduation, she was employed at Herr Merc, Wiest Service Drug, and Moser Drug. Esther married Vernon Rieger on January 29, 1967. They owned Vern's Dario at Herried, SD, and later returned to the farm where they operated Rieger Repair Shop and farmed. They raised two boys on the farm, James and Steven. They moved to Bismarck in the fall of 1984 where both Vernon and Esther were employed at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center. Esther was employed at the nursing home for seven years. She retired in 1992 and she then spent most of her time with her son, Steven, who had just returned home from the Marine Corp. Esther enjoyed her time reading, writing letters to friends and relatives, and also getting up early on the weekends to search the Bismarck area for the best garage sales. Esther enjoyed doing many things but none as important as spending time with her family. She had unconditional love for her husband, Vernon, and cherished every moment she spent with her two sons. James and Steven meant more to her than life itself, and it showed. Esther will be missed dearly by her husband, her two sons and by anyone who ever took the time to get to know her. Esther is survived by her husband Vernon Rieger of Bismarck; her two sons, James and Penny Smith Rieger of Fort Bragg, NC, and Steven Rieger of Bismarck; and one sister, Bertha. Esther is preceded in death by her parents, by six brothers, two stillborn not named, Christian, Adolf, August, and Johan Adam; and five sisters, Rose, Martha, Paulina, Ottilia, and Viola.

Esther Rieger

October 25, 1930 - July 30, 2011