Esther Pearl BOWEN

GEDCOM Note

Obituary Funeral services for Esther P. Kock, 85, of 304 Second Ave., N.W. in Rockford, will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church in Rockford with Pastor Patricia Shaw, of Zion Lutheran Church of Rockford officiating. Burial will be in the Riverside Cemetery in Rockford. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday evening at Reid's Funeral Chapel in Greene and will continue one hour prior to services Wednesday at the church. Esther Pearl Bowen was born Aug. 26, 1916, in Marshalltown, a daughter of Louis and Pearl (Pickett) Bowen, and died Sunday (July 14, 2002) at Liebe Care Center in Greene. Esther graduated from the Rockford High School and received her teaching certificate from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She taught in rural schools in the Rockford area and worked for Bowen's Grocery Store in Rockford. On May 18, 1939, she was united in marriage to Lester Harold Kock at the family home in Rockford. To this union was born six children. They farmed in the Rudd area, moving to Rockford in 1966. Esther was a charter member of the Rockford Senior Citizens where she donated many volunteer hours to community projects. She was awarded the Elderbridge Award for Senior Volunteer of the Year for her service to the community. She attended the First United Methodist Church and Zion Lutheran Church where she was active in the women's group in both churches. Those thankful for sharing her life include two daughters: Kathryn and her husband Joe Gibbs of Garner, Marilyn Parcher of Clear Lake; three sons and their spouses: Harold and Mary Kock of Greene, Dean and Jackie Kock of Nora Springs, Steven and Carol Kock of Kirtland, Ohio; 13 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Esther was preceded in death by her husband Lester Kock on February 18, 2001; son Phillip Kock in 1957, Son-in-laws: Nick Parcher and Roger Hrubes, her parents, two sisters: Bernice Bowen and Ferne White; and one brother: Lloyd Bowen. The family of Esther P. Kock acknowledges your kind expressions of sympathy offered to them at the time of their loss.