Esther Gee
November 30, -0001

Esther Louise (Rosenau) Gee, the daughter of Albert E. and Pauline (Bork) Rosenau, was born May 3, 1906, in Germania (now Lakota), Iowa. She had a strong German heritage, as both sets of grandparents came directly from Germany to the United States of America in the 1800's.
Esther attended country school about a half mile away from home until the eighth grade. She attended eighth and ninth grades at Lakota, (During World War I there was strong anti-German feeling and in 1918, the name of the town, Germania, was changed to Lakota.). The Lakota school consolidated with Ledyard and it was from there that Esther graduated as the Class of 1924. Esther then went to Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, graduating in 1928. She majored in home economics education with almost a full major also in textiles and clothing. She started teaching that fall at Strahan High School and was hired to teach home economics and advanced mathematics. During her four years, she also taught a semester of bookkeeping, physiology, and physics, coached girls' basketball and was even the principal at one time. She roomed in the Summer's house across the road from the school.
Esther met Millard Gee, a local farm boy, at a Church League Party at the Strahan Methodist Church. They went together three years and were married on May 16, 1931 at the Methodist parsonage in Strahan. They lived in the Gee family home for a month and fixed up the "house over north" where Alvin and Karen Gee now live. Their first child, Donald Millard, was born at home May 27, 1935. In 1937, the Gees moved to the Otto Mass Farm 2 1/2 miles north of Malvern. Alvin Allen was born September 5, 1939. In 1943, they returned to the family farm after the death of Millard's father. They purchased the farm and were the second generation to live and farm in Deer Creek Township.
Esther continued to be a housewife and bookkeeper for the farm operation. In the 1930's, when a female married, she could no longer be a teacher, so Esther, of course, quit the teaching profession. She was a "partner in agriculture" long before it became vogue. She was homemaker and bookkeeper for the farm, and raised a garden as did all housewives of the time.
Esther was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Lakota. She became a member of the Strahan United Methodist Church and the Strahan Ladies Union shortly after her marriage. With the exception of the short time that she and family lived north of Malvern, she remained a UMW member from 1932 until the present. For both the church and ladies organization, she willing helped with projects of each. Esther was of the nature to never be boisterous or have undue attention directed on herself. She was most comfortable in the kitchen with a tea towel in hand.
Millard and Esther still remained in their own home until June 2004 when they moved to the Garden View Care Center, Shenandoah, IA. They celebrated their 73rd Wedding Anniversary on May 16, 2004. Both were very proud of this milestone.
Esther died on September 11, 2004, at the Garden View Care Center having attained the age of 98 years, 4 months, 8 days. She was hospitalized for a bout of pneumonia; this being the first time of hospitalization since her college days. Her parents, Albert and Pauline, her brothers, Alvin John Rosenau, Herbert Frederick Rosenau, & Lloyd Benjamin Rosenau, and her son, Donald Millard Gee preceded Esther in death. She is survived by her husband, G. Millard Gee; her son, Alvin Gee and his wife, Karen of rural Imogene, IA; daughter-in-law, Virginia Gee of Des Moines, IA; grandchildren, Lorrie and her husband, Steve Woolery of Pella, IA; Steven and his wife Geraldine Gee, Denver, CO; Kevin Gee, Imogene; Kathy and her husband, Ronald Moen, Decorah, IA; and Kristy and her husband, David York, Carroll, IA. Also surviving are five great grandchildren who include--Hannah and Dana Woolery, Abby Moen, Katie and Bryan York; nephews and other relatives and friends.

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