Esther Anne (Shank) Ponx of Jefferson passed away May 16, 2020, at the age of 97.
Esther was born in New Hampton on February 20, 1923, the first of two children born to Doyle and Beulah (Powell) Shank.
She lived in New Hampton until 1929 when the family moved to Greenbrier Township, Greene County. She attended Greenbrier Township #6, a one room country school until high school, when she then attended high school in Cooper, Iowa.
She was valedictorian of her class and received a scholarship to attend Drake to study business. She left school due to WWII and worked at Civil Aeronautics Administration in Des Moines, where pilots were trained for the war.
Esther and Guss (Junior) Ponx were united in marriage at the Methodist Church in Bagley on February 19, 1944, which happened to also be Junior’s birthday and a day before Esther’s birthday.
She lived on a farm south of Jefferson for 75 years where she and Junior raised three daughters, Connie, Karen, and Patricia. Esther was a devoted wife, farmer, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She loved her family with all her heart; she would do anything for them and always put others before herself. When in her presence, she made you feel welcomed and loved. She enjoyed playing cards, Sunday drives, going to the Minnesota cabin with family and conniving with grandchildren to play pranks on Junior. She will be deeply missed and remembered for her kindness, smiles and unconditional love.
Preceding her in death were her husband Guss (Junior) Ponx; her parents; brother-in-law Paul Walker; nephew Jim Walker; and two infant great-grandchildren, Evan Hance and Robbie McIntyre.
Survivors include her daughters Connie Meinecke of Jamaica, Karen (Craig) Arbuckle of Washington, IA, and Patricia (Steve) Hance of Marion; grandchildren HD (Monica) Meinecke of Jamaica, Amy (Aaron) Guiter of Johnston, Abby (Todd) Smithson of Granger, Kirk (Tammy) Arbuckle of Grimes, Amanda (Dave) Kreutzer of Bend, OR, Brad (Lindsay) Hance and Brian (Maria) Hance of Cedar Rapids, and Alison (Reid) McIntyre of Westminster, CO; great-grandchildren Sophia, Grant, Audrey and Gretta Guiter, Ava and Ella Smithson, Kaley, Kenzie and Bode Kreutzer, Taylor and Ashley Arbuckle, Kaden and Colton Hance, Riley McIntyre and baby girl McIntyre due in September; sister Dolores Walker of Scranton; dear friend Lois Wistenberg of Jefferson; and friends, cousins, niece and nephew.
Due to COVID-19, the family held a private graveside service. A celebration of life will be held at a later safer date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be designated to the Cooper Methodist Church.
Mothers/Grandmothers/Great-grandmothers hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.
Online condolences may be left at www.sliningerschroeder.com.
