Esther June Heins Gibbs

Esther June Heins Gibbs, 88, of Kearney, died Saturday, August 6, 2016 at Mother Hull Home in Kearney. Funeral services will be at 10:30 am Thursday, August 11th at First Lutheran Church in Kearney. The Rev. Sylvia High Karlsson will officiate. She will be laid to rest at Kearney Cemetery. According to her wishes there will be no visitation. Memorials are suggested to First Lutheran Church or a charity of the donor’s choice. O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home is serving the family. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Esther was born on June 8, 1928 in rural Dawson County to Fred and Sophie (Abele) Heins. She was baptized on July 8, 1928 at the Buffalo Lutheran Church, where she also reaffirmed her Baptism in May of 1942. Esther graduated from Cozad High School in 1946. She lived in the Cozad and Omaha areas until 1954, when she moved to Phoenix, Arizona. After living in Phoenix for eleven years, she moved to Seattle, Washington, where she was employed by U.S. Bank until her retirement from there in 1990. In 1994, she moved back to Nebraska and made Kearney her home. Esther loved her church, her family, and her many friends, as well as her Cornhusker baseball, volleyball and football. She enjoyed life immensely, and she remained independently active until Jesus called her home. Some of the highlights of her 87th year include sitting behind home plate at Haymarket Park cheering for the Husker baseball team, spending several days in Lincoln enjoying the National Volleyball Championships, taking a road trip to Des Moines, Iowa to celebrate her brother’s birthday and climbing on the back of a Honda 1100 Shadow to cruise the Kearney area. Esther was a role model to many. Her smile was contagious and she was constantly serving others with humility and grace. She leaves an empty spot in her family, church and neighborhood, but we all rejoice for her in her new heavenly home. Survivors include her sisters-in-law, Ramona Heins of Des Moines, IA and Lola Heins of Gothenburg, as well as many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her special Washington state family; John and Donna Kaylor, Cynthia and Michael Roth; her grandchildren, John and Michele Kaylor, James and Sybonei Kaylor, Geoffrey Kaylor and Gage Roth; along with eleven great grandchildren. Esther was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Martin, Art, Harold and Paul Heins; her sister, Helen Vickers; her brother-in-law, Dale Vickers; her sisters-in-law, Gloria Heins, Wilma Heins and Helen Heins; a niece and three nephews.

Esther June Heins Gibbs

June 8, 1928 - August 6, 2016