Dennis "Butch" Esser

Butch Esser, age 70, of Blue Earth, passed away on Friday, December 20, 2019 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center in Blue Earth. Visitation will be Thursday, December 26, 2019 from 5 to 7 PM at Patton Funeral Home in Blue Earth.  A memorial service will be Friday at 11 AM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Blue Earth. Additional visitation will be one hour prior at the church. Inurnment will be at Riverside Cemetery in Blue Earth at a later date. Patton Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. www.pattonfh.com

 Dennis was born on February 27, 1949 in Mankato, to Duane and Marvel (Grunzke) Esser and was raised by his loving grandparents Edward and Frances “Fritz” Zimny Esser. He joined the Army on April 14, 1966 and got his GED before being sent to Vietnam. He served until May 12, 1969 and was in Germany and Vietnam for one year and four months where he met his lifelong brothers in arms, Toby, Kirchman and Dudley. When back in the states, he married Valarie Hummer and had a daughter who he spoiled rotten. Butch and Val later divorced (twice!) but remained friends. Butch married his soulmate Susan “Suzie” (Dwight) Bates on April 28, 2000 and he inherited two more daughters. Butch was never idle and could fix anything. He had various jobs over the years-truck driver, mechanic and convenience store owner. He loved to fish, having grill outs, ride motorcycles, collect guns and toy tractors and to tinker. Despite being distanced from family, Butch valued family above all- gathering friends into the family and welcoming all the “extras” that came along through the years. There were no “step family” just family.

Butch is survived by his wife, Susan; daughters, Michele (Mark) Ulferts, Nicky (Steve “Frog”) Foth and Jackie (Kha) Hollstein; honorary “kids”, Jeremy “Jay” Giese and Lonny Sailor; grandchildren, Daniel Ulferts, Hunter (Hilary) Chaffee, Chayce (Amber) Chaffee, Mallorie (Jay) Brunner, Chelsey (Dennis Helton) Ulferts, Stefania (Marty Brinda)Paschke, Jade Foth, Zoey and Corinne Hollstein; great grandchildren, Madisyn and Nolan Anderson, Sophie DeBoer, Olivia, Gracelynn and Zoey Brunner, Annabelle Chaffee, Haydyn Paschke and Rylie Chaffee; siblings, Dawn Doyle, Diane (Earl) McCarrick, Douglas (Ardie) Esser, Dick (Dorothy) Esser, Dirk (Lisa) Esser, Dorothy (Douglas) Wach, Dorene (Gerry) Woodruff, David Esser and Dorelle (Dave) Rosenberg, sisters-in-law, Janet (Burly) Delhante and Kathy (Robert) Sams; many other relatives and friends.

Butch is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, sister-in-law, Eleanor Underwood, and mother-in-law, Alice Dwight.