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Esther Wilham

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[May 18, 2016]  PEORIA - Esther Wilham, 98, of Peoria, formerly of Mount Pulaski, passed away at 8:55 a.m. May 12, 2016 at her home.

Visitation: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday May 16, 2016 at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Service: 2:00 p.m. Tuesday May 17,at Steenbergen Cemetery in Mount Pulaski,

Funeral home: Fricke-Calvert-Schrader, Lincoln   

Obituary

Esther Sophia Wilham (nee Gluick) quietly passed away at her Peoria home at the age of 98 on Thursday, May 12, 2016 .

Esther was born in Lincoln, Illinois into a German-American family of twelve children (August Gluick, Louie Gluick, Albert Gluick, William Gluick; Louise Gluick Bock, Ella Gluick Gelbach, Regina Gluick Broch, Marie Gluick Ruwe, Frieda Gluick, Hilda Gluick Damerin) . Esther was the longest surviving of those children and took pride in her relationships with her siblings, their spouses, and their children. Esther married Carl Wilham of Mount Pulaski.

A wife and mother of two boys, Esther originally trained as a hairdresser but spent the largest part of her life as a homemaker. In a family decimated by cancer, Esther had been a pillar of strength and support for the many members of her family who lost parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins to the deadly disease. She was an accomplished gardener and master of the art of crochet. She produced beautiful heirloom quality work well into her 90s. She was also a creative cook and baker who hosted many jolly holiday dinners for friends and family. She sustained a warm and lively sense of humor and interest in the world (even the Chicago Cubs) until the very last moments of her life. She was a lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Lincoln, Illinois.

Esther is survived by two sons, Gary Wilham (Carol) of Oak Park, and Greg Wilham of Gardena, CA as well as a granddaughter Aleisa Wilham Alonso of Hermosa Beach, CA and grandson Christopher Wilham of Oak Park; great-grandchildren Morgan, Delaney, and Sawyer Alonso of Hermosa Beach, CA and great nephews Jay Haning of Morton, Brad Haning of Mackinaw, and great niece Jill Haning Leahy of Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin, among many others. She was preceded in death by her husband Carl Wilham in 1996.

Graveside services for Esther will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday May 17, 2016 at Steenbergen Cemetery in Mount Pulaski, with Rev. Candida Turner officiating. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 p.m. Monday May 16, 2016 at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln. Memorials may be made in Esther’s name to The Breast Cancer Society.
 

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