Esther Ehlert

Esther Ehlert, 96, beloved wife and mother, passed away on July 31, 2018. She was born in her father's parsonage on April 21, 1922, in Ocheyedan, Iowa, to Ewald and Henrietta Kallsen. Esther was the last surviving sibling of twelve brothers and sisters, and was predeceased by her beloved husband of fifty years, Howard Charles Ehlert.

She is survived by her daughter, Bette, and grandchildren, Jeannette and Elisabeth Perkal, both of Albuquerque; and her son, Kurt, his wife, Carolyn, daughter, Allison, and son, Erich, all of Albuquerque; and many wonderful cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends.

Esther studied at Iowa State Teachers College and Mankato State Teachers College in Minnesota before graduating from The University of Minnesota in 1956. She moved to New Mexico and became a faculty member of the University of New Mexico College of Nursing teaching pediatric nursing, and served as the Executive Secretary and later President of the New Mexico Nursing Association. She was a licensed registered nurse in both Minnesota and New Mexico. Following her teaching career, Esther became a school nurse in the Albuquerque Public School system for many years at Highland High School. Esther and Howard retired in 1982 and moved to Dexter, NM, where they lived on Lake Van happily for 26 years before returning to Albuquerque.

Esther was a great organizer and enjoyed being a congregation member of the Presbyterian Church in Dexter. She loved to sing at church, travel, and in her earlier years, camp in the mountains, take long walks around Lake Van and look after Howard and their many Labrador retrievers.

Memorial Services will be held on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 11:00 a.m., at FRENCH. Interment will take place at 2:15 p.m. at Santa Fe National Cemetery.