Ester Tharaldson

Memorial services for Ester Tharaldson of Starbuck, MN will be held Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at East Zion Lutheran Church, rural Starbuck, with Reverend Steve Carmany officiating. Visitation will be Friday, December 12, 2025 from 4 to 6 p.m., with a prayer service at 6:00 at the Starbuck Funeral Home in Starbuck and for one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday. Burial will beheld at a later date.

Ester Jane (Larson) Tharaldson, daughter of Albert and Mabel (Compton Willhite) Larson, was born December 1, 1934 in Roseville Township of Grant County near Herman, Minnesota. Ester was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Hoffman. At age 10 she moved with her family to a farm east of Glenwood. Ester was confirmed May 22, 1949 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Villard. She graduated from Glenwood High School in 1952. Ester worked as an assistant cashier at the Glenwood State Bank until her marriage to Dennis Tharaldson on March 7, 1954. Ester worked alongside Dennis on the farm, milking cows, driving tractor, etc. Ester enjoyed traveling to Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, and various other states, and went on several cruise trips. Ester enjoyed sewing, quilting, crocheting, baking, gardening, playing golf, playing bridge, playing softball with the Midway Stars team, serving as a Women of East Zion officer, and hosting family reunions on the family farm.

Ester passed peacefully on November 29, 2025, two days short of her 91st birthday.

Ester is survived by brother Duane (Pat) Larson; children: Barb Larson, Steve (Vicki) Tharaldson, JoAnne (Chuck) Thompson, Denise (Mark) Buller, and Bruce (Linda) Tharaldson; grandchildren: Brian, Sara, Dennis, Jeffrey (Krista), Casey, Lee, Nick (Arianna), Lisa (Andy), Nicole (Erik); step grandchildren: Jason (Sarah), Jeremy (Jessica), Jessica (Eric), Andrea (Matt), Jessica; great grandchildren: Noah, Robin, James, Parker, Emily; step great grandchildren: Olivia, Madilynn, Alex, Alyssa (Zach), Devin, Vincent, Josephine, Harrison, Lenora; and many nieces and nephews.

Ester is preceded in death by her parents, husband Dennis, son-in-law Don Larson, and grandchild Steph Tharaldson; sisters: Florence (Arnold) Hennen, Fern (Woodrow) Thompson, Dorothy (Cliff) Jacobson, Grace (Guy) Peterson; brothers: Leo (Ann) Willhite, Leonard (Claudia) Willhite, Merle (Arlene) Willhite, Don (Gertie) Willhite, Harold (Joan) Willhite, Ellerd Larson, Ed (Patty) Larson, Earl Larson; brothers- and sisters-in-law: Gerhard and Elaine Tharaldson, Odean and Esther Tharaldson, Sylvia and Lloyd Vindedahl, Gaye and Harry Klyve, and Joyce and George Nornes.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to East Zion Lutheran Church.

Starbuck Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements for Ester.