Esther Clara Hughes, 105, of Redfield and formerly of Frankfort, SD passed away Friday, November 6, 2020, at the Eastern Star Home in Redfield.  Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Redfield.  Reverend John Short will officiate.  Interment will follow in the family plot at St. Ann’s Catholic Cemetery in Frankfort. 

The public service will be live-streamed to the funeral home’s website.  Masks and social distancing are encouraged at the church.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Hyke Funeral Home of Redfield.  (www.hykefuneralhome.com)

Esther Clara Hughes was born May 19, 1915, to William and Clara Hughes on a farm 2 ½ miles south east of Frankfort, SD.  She was one of two girls and four boys.  On November 6, 2020, she died at the Eastern Star Home in Redfield where she resided since mid-2018.  Esther was the last of the 6th generation of Hughes.

She attended Hughes Grade School and lived most of her life in Spink County.  For a short time, Esther worked at the Schriver Johnson Store in Sioux Falls and at her brother Clark’s dance hall in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.  Returning to the farm, she took an active part in the farm work helping her brother Denny and for 17 years she worked in the Spink County Treasurer’s office in Redfield.   

Esther designed the home that she and Denny lived in that overlooks the James River.  She took a great deal of pride in their yard and garden where she planted many flowers and bushes.  During the summer months, you would often find her riding the lawn mower and continued to do that into her late 90’s.

After retiring, she and Denny took many trips as they liked to travel.  They visited 48 states, Rome, Lourdes, Rio de Janeiro, and many trips to Canada where they have many relatives. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers: Denny, Clark, Lee, Donald, and sister Ruth. 

Esther is survived by her nephew Larry (Kathleen) Noll of Akron, IA; her nieces: Helen Sabaska of Chippewa Falls, WI and Patricia Fialkowski of Eau Claire, WI; great nieces and nephews: Mary, Tom, Jess, Karla, Tom, Karen, John, Bill, Colleen, and Dayna, who cared for Esther and Denny since April of 2013; many great, great, nieces and nephews; and many cousins who live in Canada, California, Washington, and Wisconsin. 

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Thank you to the participants in Esther's service:

Clergy ~ Reverend John Short

Lector ~ Mary Lou Schwartz

Organist ~ Carol Esser

Cantor and Soloist ~ Jane Burggraff

Pallbearers ~ Dan Bicknese, Reid Mayer, Matt Mayer, Ray O'Day, Rick Filipek, Thomas Noll, Clinton Meadows, Tom Sabaska

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