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April 18, 2024
Esther Chloe Sturm, 85, Wonder Lake, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, in her home with her family at her side.
She was born Feb. 13, 1929, to Clarence and Ocie Vogler in Macomb.
On Feb. 11, 1949, she married Donald C. Sturm.
As a young child, she attended a one-room school house and was able to graduate from high school in three years.
While attending school, she met her future husband. He enlisted in the U. S. Navy near the end of World War II. Since he had no middle initial in his name, he took the letter C from Esther’s middle name as his official initial. They were married after he came home and celebrated 65 years together.
The couple moved to Chicago, where her husband finished working on his DDS at Loyola University’s School of Dentistry. The big city life was quite different from Macomb, but she soon acclimated herself to the city and began a new life, a new job and started a family. Eventually they moved to Wonder Lake.
Nine children and a husband kept her busy as a mother and homemaker. She always put her family first, continually loving and supporting them.
Living in Wonder Lake for most of her life provided her with many opportunities to watch her children grow and enjoy the lake. During those years, she had many hobbies including golf, bowling, sewing, reading and upholstering. In the last few years, she took care of her husband.
Survivors include nine children, Deborah (Richard) Draper, Donald (Jayne) Sturm, David (Georgette) Sturm, Delora (Steve) Gerhardt, Diane (Joe) Shoemaker, Doreen (Richard) Berndt, Dee Laine (Terry) Sellke, Dawn (Scott) Steinbach and Dina (Steve) Dermont; a sister, Wilma Erdmann; 15 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Feb. 25, 2014; and a brother-in-law, Darrell Erdmann.
Visitation and funeral were Jan. 24 at Justen Funeral Home and Crematory, McHenry.
Memorials can be made to the Wonder Lake Fire Dept., P. O. Box 447, Wonder Lake, IL 60097; Pioneer Center for Human Services, 4001 Dayton St., McHenry, IL 60050; or the Costello Syndrome Family Network, P. O. Box 516, Woodinville, WA 98072-0516.
