Esther M. Magnus

   Esther Marie Magnus, age 93, of St. Peter, Illinois passed away at 5:28 a.m. Saturday, December 18, 2021 at HSHS St. Anthony Memorial Hospital in Effingham, Illinois.

Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church with a one hour viewing prior to service. Rev. Ryan Meyer will be officiating.  Burial will be at the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Cemetery in St. Peter, Illinois. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at Pagel Funeral Home in St. Peter, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, Memorials may go to St. Peter’s LWML/Ladies Aide or the donor’s choice.

She was born on November 14, 1928 in Altamont, Illinois to Edward Wilhelm and Edna Anna (Koss) Campe. Esther married Lavern C. Magnus on October 17, 1948 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Altamont, Illinois. He preceded her in death on March 17, 2019.  Together, they started their farm in St. Peter, IL.  They began milking in 1950 and had a door-to-door milk delivery business in St. Peter.  They ceased milking in 1975, at which time she went into the swine barn and farrowed the sows.  She also took care of grandchildren and great grandchildren, drove the hay bailer, and baked and decorated thousands of cakes.  Lavern and Esther were married for 70 years before he passed.  Their longevity was contributed to hard work and eating good food from the garden and canning everything from homemade ketchup to watermelon rind pickles.  Mrs. Magnus enjoyed the marathon Euchre tournaments at the Campe family get togethers, as well as, crocheting and crossword puzzles. Esther was a homemaker, tractor driver, dairy maid, swine herdsman, master gardener, businesswoman, daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, wife, friend, and last, but not least, “The Cake Lady.”  Esther was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and the St. Peter Lutheran Ladies Aide. Esther loved God!  Esther and Lavern did everything they could to teach their family the difference between “right and wrong” and the value of hard work.

She is survived by her three sons, Larry Magnus (wife, Twila) of St. Peter, Illinois, Lynn Magnus and special friend, Melissa Wehrle of St. Peter, Illinois, and Scott Magnus (wife, Debbie) of Carlyle, Illinois; grandchildren, Torrey (wife, Jill) Magnus of St. Peter; Tiffany (husband Dean) James of Troy, Illinois; Tyler Magnus of St. Peter; Staci Jahraus of Altamont; Shannon Magnus of St. Peter; Scarlett (husband Joseph) Vanzo of Vandalia; Sawyer Magnus of Greenville, TX; and McKenzie (husband Jake) Fields of St. Louis, MO; and nine great grandchildren; sisters: Lorene Schroeder of Altamont, Belva Schaefer of St. Peter; sister-in-law Norma Campe of Altamont; in-laws Hilmer (wife Ruth) Magnus of St. Peter, and Darrell (wife Dolores “Lorie”) Ford of Tuscola.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lavern; sister, Alice Calhoun Jones, and brothers Harold, Delbert, and Eldon Campe. 

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