Esther Virginia Sedelmeier, age 85, of the St. Vincent Home, formerly of Harvest Hills, Quincy, died on Friday, May 19, 2017 in the Home. She was born on April 27, 1932 in Sweet Springs, MO the daughter of Paul H, & Venilie A. ‘Nellie’ (Powers) O’Neal. She was raised North of Knox City, MO. She attended Knox City High and after graduation married Floyd Kessler. They had three daughters: Sharon, Karen and Terry Lynne.

In 1965, Esther and her daughters moved to Quincy, IL. After working briefly at Motorola, she attended Gem City College and obtained her Secretarial Degree. She worked in the office of the Adjutant at the Illinois Veterans Home. In 1968, she met the love of her life, Bill Sedelmeier. They were married in 1970 and bought the Colonial Motel in East Hannibal, IL. They owned and operated this business and sold it in 1983. Bill built them a home in Ewing, MO. Esther then worked in Quincy at Quanada, a shelter for abused women for almost 13 years. She was first a Crisis Intervention Worker and then became a Court Advocate. While at Quanada, she briefly attended John Wood Community College. Esther and Bill liked camping and always took their little dog, Chloe, with them.. They both adored their pet. Esther also enjoyed reading and after moving to Harvest Hills, she really enjoyed getting with her friends to play cards. Esther always said her first enjoyment in life was her daughters of whom she was very proud, getting together with them and their families. She also enjoyed family ‘get-togethers’ with her siblings, and extended families, seeing how the little ones had grown.

Esther was a member of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church which she loved very much.

She is survived by:
TWO DAUGHTERS: Sharon Bolterman and her husband Terry of St. Louis, MO; and Terry Lynne Schaffnit.
A SON-IN-LAW: Pat Welch
Her late husband Bill’s FOUR SURVIVING CHILDREN: Vicki Whitaker; Judy Lair and her husband Dennis, Gene Sedelmeier and his wife Barb; and Penny Slawson and her husband Richard.
A great number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren
FIVE SIBLINGS: Betty Harvey; Margaret Dixon and her husband Norb; Charlie O’Neal and his wife Marilyn; Harriet Andrews and her husband Ewell; and Philip O’Neal and his wife Cheryl.
A BROTHER-IN LAW: Bill Hunziker A SISTER-IN-LAW: Elsie O’Neal
Numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives also survive.

Esther was preceded in death by her husband, a daughter Karen Welch, a son-in-law, James Schaffnit; Step-sons: John Sedelmeier and Billy Sedelmeier, a granddaughter: Melinda Long; One great-granddaughter: Kylee Bivens, and seven siblings: Willa Hunziker; Paul O’Neal along with his wife Jeannie; Clarence, Robert, Thomas, John and Minnie O’Neal.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 10:00 AM in the Duker & Haugh Funeral Home and at 10:30 AM in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Committal services will be held on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 PM in the Queen of Peace Cemetery in Ewing, MO. Visitation will be held on Tuesday evening from 4:00 until 7:00 PM in the Duker & Haugh Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Quanada or to the Quincy Humane Society.