Esterleen Erna Miller Fischer of Bartlett died suddenly Tuesday morning; April 16, 2019 just one month shy of her 91st birthday. She was born on May 16, 1928, in Killeen, Texas to Erich and Selma (Kriegel) Miller.
A loving Christian mother and friend, Esterleen devoted her life to her faith, her family, her teaching career and helping her husband on the family farm. She taught for 30 years in the Belton and Bartlett Independent School Districts and had a teacher’s look that could make a classroom of rowdy high schoolers quiet down quickly, but also a laugh that could make the whole room laugh with her. She had a gentle and compassionate soul that touched every student in her classroom. She would beam with pride when a former student would come up to her and say “thank you for being hard on me. It is what I needed.”
Esterleen was confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Copperas Cove, Texas where her confirmation verse was 1st John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him”. While in high school, Esterleen’s family moved to a farm just west of Bartlett. She graduated from Bartlett High in 1945 as the class Valedictorian. She left the family farm and pursued her dream of becoming a teacher by receiving her Associates degree from Texas Lutheran College in 1947 and her Bachelor’s Degree from North Texas State in 1949.
She returned to Bartlett in 1949 soon after finishing college and suffered a broken leg. It was that broken leg that brought a neighbor boy, Clarence Fischer, to come offer his “services” if any neighborly assistance, friendship, or companionship was needed. This offer of friendship soon developed into a serious romance and courtship. (Clarence often joked that Esterleen had to break her leg to slow down enough for him to catch her.) Clarence and Esterleen were married at St. John Lutheran Church in Bartlett on August 2, 1953, on a day that Clarence described as “so hot that the church candles melted”. Over the ensuing years, they were divinely blessed with the opportunity to adopt, nurture, and raise three loving children, Shirl, Stanley, and Lloyd, and to experience the joys of their eight adoring grandchildren. Esterleen loved her family and felt that her life was more complete and enriched by her marriage and her family, and always cherished their "many tremendous life experiences and challenges".
Esterleen is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Clarence Fischer, her parents, Erich and Selma, sisters, Lavern Miller, Lorene Hierholtzer and husband Jerome, Dora Hayden and husband Ed and brothers Wilbert and Eric Miller. She is survived by her loving and devoted family; her three children: Shirl Fischer Jones (and husband Bobby) of Temple, Stanley Fischer (and wife Christy) of Georgetown, and Lloyd Fischer (and wife Sheri) of Bartlett; eight grandchildren: Tyler Weldin (and wife Alexis), Austin Weldin, Brittany Fischer, Christopher Fischer, Andrea Kauitzsch, Niklas Fischer, Trenton Fischer, and Preston Fischer; sisters, Velma Holck (and husband Albert) of Austin, Helen Stephenson (and husband Jack) of Bastrop, Joyce Miller (and husband Klaus Adam) of Houston, brother Larry Miller (and wife Dodie) of New Mexico; sisters-in-law, Marilyn Miller of LaGrange, Shirley Miller of Georgetown, and Shirley Fischer of Bartlett, numerous nieces, nephews, and other extended family members.
A private Christian burial will be held Saturday April 20, at St John’s Lutheran Church cemetery followed at 11 am by a celebration of a life at St John’s Lutheran Church in Bartlett with Pastor’s Bryan Miller and Pastor Becky Sogge officiating. Pallbearers will be Weldon Kurtz, Robert Marwitz, Ray Janke, Steve Springer, Jerry Decker and Albert Lesikar.
In lieu of flowers, Esterleen requested memorials to be given to: Upbring(formerly Lutheran Social Services of Texas), Lutheran World Relief or a charity of your choice
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