Esther Miller, age 97 of Bismarck, formerly of Turtle Lake, ND, died December 4th, 2013 at the Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center in Bismarck. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Monday December 9, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Turtle Lake. Interment will be held in the Turtle Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services on Monday at the church.

Esther was born November 10, 1916 in Butte, ND, the daughter of Christ and Rebecca
(Knopp) Jesz. She attended country school in Butte through the 8th grade. Esther married Bennie B. Miller on July 5, 1936 at Hope Lutheran Church, Mercer, ND. Following their marriage, they farmed near Mercer until 1959 when they moved into Turtle Lake. In 1963, she and Bennie purchased the Miller Store. They owned and operated it until it was destroyed by a fire in 1969. While they lived in Turtle Lake, Esther also sold Avon door to door and worked at various businesses around town. In 1987 they moved to the Crescent Manor in Bismarck. She later moved to the Terrace Assisted Living and then the Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center in November of 2011.

Esther was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Turtle Lake. She was a very sharp pinochle player and enjoyed playing with her friends and family.

She is survived by her sons: Gary Miller, Baldwin, ND, Morris (Eileen) Miller, Turtle Lake, ND, and Curtis (Judy) Miller, Bismarck, ND; a daughter, Sharon (Roger) Kornack, Washburn, ND; ten grandchildren; thirty-seven great grandchildren.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, husband (Bennie) in 1998, a son Marvin in infancy; a brother Harold Jesz; daughter-in-law, Patricia Miller; nephews: Clarke and Marlo Jesz.