Mildred (Midge) Pearl Esser, 86, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2026, in Lincoln, Nebraska. Born on October 2, 1939, to Maurice Jr. and Amanda (Walstad) Moriarty in Hand County, South Dakota, she spent a joyful childhood on the family ranch. She graduated from Wessington High School in 1957.
After high school, Mildred trained at cosmetology school in Sioux Falls and, together with her sister Dorothy, owned the Redfield Beauty Shop. She devoted 52 years to her work as a beautician. In 1972 she married Don Esser, and the couple made their home in Redfield, South Dakota. In 2011 she moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, to be near her daughter Sheila and her family. She cherished her role as a grandmother and found great happiness in family gatherings and her grandchildren’s activities. She also enjoyed exercise classes, playing cards, and solving sudoku puzzles.
Mildred is survived by her daughter, Sheila (Elliot) Stevens; grandchildren, Noah, Samuel, and Paul Stevens; siblings, Helen Moriarty, Karen Haigh, Richard Moriarty, and Robert (Pat) Moriarty; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Maurice and Amanda; her siblings, G. Ruth Moriarty, Donald Moriarty, and Dorothy Steiner; and her husband, Don Esser.
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