Estella M. Rothermich (nee Elam), age 89, passed away at the King’s Daughters Home in Mexico, on Sat., Jan. 20, 2024.
Visitation is Sat., Jan. 27 beginning at 9 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at Arnold Funeral Home, 425 South Jefferson Street in Mexico. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Sat., Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. in St. Brendan Catholic Church, 615 S. Washington, Mexico. Fr. Dave Veit will be the Celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Brendan Cemetery.
She was born in Decatur, Ill. in 1934 to H. H. and Hilda Elam. Estella graduated from St. Thomas Catholic grade school 1948 and Decatur High School in 1952. In 1954, her family moved to the farm east of Auxvasse. There she met her husband, Ray, who had moved from St. Charles, to the Auxvasse area in 1955 after serving in the Army. They were married at St. Brendan’s Catholic Church on January 28, 1961. They settled on their farm east of Auxvasse, where they raised cattle and pigs, row crops, and kids. Beginning in the early 1980s, they tried sunflowers as an alternative crop. They continued to grow sunflowers and became known for them. People loved to stop and take pictures when the sunflowers bloomed. They met many wonderful bird feeders who purchased sunflower seeds from their garage.
Estella was active in her community. She helped form a neighborhood social club named the Early Risers in 1963 which continued to meet through 2007. She was also a member of the Happy Homemakers club. She was involved with her children in 4-H, Cub Scouts, and served as a room mother for their school classes. In her later years, while she waited for grandchildren, she hosted neighborhood children’s Halloween parties which she always dressed up for!
For St. Brendan, she taught CCD classes, was a cantor, and bowled on the St. Brendan’s Ladies League for 20 years. She led a group from Auxvasse in the Journey in Faith program plus organized three retreats in the Auxvasse Community Hall. She was proud of sharing her Catholic faith!
Estella is survived by her children; Brenda (Jim) Hale of Martinsburg, Linus (Stephanie) Rothermich of Auxvasse, and Jim (Brenda) Rothermich of West Des Moines, Iowa; grandchildren, Lydia (Mathew)Hale-Sexton, Gabriel Hale, Matthew Rothermich, and Kathryn Rothermich, Stephanie Dunkin (Slade McElroy, Trigger Robbins) Lacie (Trent) Jones (Dillon Jones, Riley Jones) Reggie (Kaitlyn) Dunkin, (Jaxon, Liam, and Kinsley Dunkin) ; siblings, Martha (Don) Henderson and Phil Elam of Quincy, Ill.; sisters-in-law, Helen Rothermich and Sharlene Elam-Peterson; and brothers-in-law, Don Henderson and Joe Rothermich.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray, her parents, H.H. and Hilda Elam; siblings, Gertrude Watts, Helen Dickson, Louis Elam, and Wilbur Elam; brothers-in- law, Edward Watts and Don Dickson; sisters-in-law, Madalon Elam and Ann Elam.
Online condolences may be left at www.arnoldfh.com
