Obituary of Esther Marie Burkemper

A Mass of Christian Burial for Esther Marie Burkemper of O’Fallon, MO will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 22, 2016 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church near Old Monroe, MO. Fr. Richard Rath, church pastor, will officiate with burial in Immaculate Conception Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Ted Burkemper, Henry Burkemper, Andy Burkemper, Patrick Burkemper, Joe Burkemper and Jeremy Burkemper. Mrs. Burkemper, 93, passed away Saturday night, October 15, 2016 at Mercy Hospital Lincoln in Troy, MO. Born November 30, 1922 in St. Charles, MO, she was the daughter of Bernard and Gertrude Schwendemann Wilke. Esther was united in marriage on October 3, 1942 in O’Fallon to Victor Henry Burkemper. This union was blessed with three sons: Bob, Don and Gene. Esther was a homemaker. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Church and the Ladies Sodality. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bernard and Gertrude Wilke; one daughter-in-law, Linda Burkemper; three brothers: John, Edward and Gene Wilke; one sister, Helen Griesenauer; one grandson, Scott Burkemper; and her beloved husband of 65 years, Victor Burkemper, on April 5, 2008. Survivors include her sons: Bob Burkemper and his wife, Sandy, of Winfield, MO, Don Burkemper and his wife, Jean, of Clarksville, MO and Gene Burkemper and his wife, Terry, of Brashear, MO; fourteen grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Esther also leaves three sisters: Kate Orf of O’Fallon, Lou Stoehner of St. Charles and Alice Christian of O’Fallon; one sister-in-law, Doris Wilke of O’Fallon; many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 22, 2016 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Memorials may be made to the Immaculate Conception Building Fund or the Alzheimer’s Association in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 3838 East Highway 47, P.O. Box 253, Winfield, MO 63389.