Virginia Essner

Virginia Irene Essner, 93, of New Hamburg, Missouri, died Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

She was born April 4, 1925, in Benton, Missouri, to Anton A. and Christine C. Strack Diebold. She married Herbert Anton Essner on May 7, 1946, in Benton. He preceded her in death Jan. 20, 2004.

Virginia was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg and Ladies Sodality of the church. In earlier years she loved to knit and crochet. She enjoyed quilting with the ladies at St. Lawrence Parish. She loved working with her flowers, and her most precious thing in life was her family.

She is survived by five sons, Jim (Hope) Essner of Kelso, Missouri, Mike (Donna) Essner of Scott City, Tom (Linda) Essner of New Hamburg, Fred Essner of Millersville and Terry (Shelly) Essner of Jackson; a daughter, Pam (Larry C.) Heuring of Kelso; two brothers, Anton (Ethel) Diebold Jr. of St. Louis and Leonard (Willene) Diebold of Lebanon, Tennessee; three sisters, Ida Mae Ford of Florida and Chris Brant and Mary Francis Harrison both of St. Louis; 18 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Norbert, Claude and Walter Diebold.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., with parish prayers at 7 p.m., today at St. Lawrence Catholic Church.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church, with the Rev. Michael Casteel and the Rev. Balaswamy Govindu as concelebrants. Burial will be in St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery in New Hamburg.