Esther Edith (Kamholz) Prokop

Esther Edith Prokop, 87,  of St. Croix Falls passed away peacefully on Monday, May 13, 2013 at The Good Samaritan Center in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Esther was born August 15, 1925, in Luck, Wisconsin to Gertie (Crandall) and Ervin A. Kamholz. She was baptized, confirmed, and an active member of Luck Lutheran Church.

During her high school years, she worked as a waitress at the Luck Eat Shop where she met the love of her life, Clarence “Clancy” Prokop.  After graduation from Luck High school and while “Clancy” was in the army, she worked as a secretary for Munsingwear in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Esther and Clancy were united in marriage on May 18, 1946, at Luck Lutheran Church.  They lived in Minneapolis and later moved to Bone Lake to help out on Clancy’s father’s farm.

In 1952 they bought the 120 acre “Tip Top Farm” near Centuria.  Esther taught piano, organ and accordion lessons for eleven years.  She had over fifty students and an accordion band of 30 kids involved in musical competitions, concerts and recitals.  She was an active member of Fristad Lutheran Church and was very involved in her children’s school and 4-H activities.  The family spent many summers camping and traveling throughout the United States.  In 1962 Esther and Clancy sold all the farm animals and obtained jobs in the Twin Cities.    They learned to square dance and in 1969 Esther and Clancy formed a square dance club in Centuria called “The Friendly Twirlers” which is still active today.  They also took ballroom and round dance lessons and began to teach them as well.  They loved to travel and went to many national square and ballroom dancing conventions all over the United States.

In 1972, they sold the farm and built their home in St. Croix Falls where she kept active teaching square, ballroom, and round dancing and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Esther had numerous accounting jobs and retired from Control Data Corporation in 1985.

Upon retirement they purchased a trailer and traveled to Florida and Texas.  In 1985 they decided to make Texas their “winter home”.  They purchased a mobile home in Mission, Texas and spent many great times with their friends south.  In the fall of 2002 they sold their Texas home.  Esther lived in their St. Croix Falls home until her move into the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in the spring of 2012 due to poor health.

Esther was a very intelligent, loving, kind, and generous wife, mother, grand-mother, great-grandmother and friend.  She especially loved music, reading, learning new things and caring for her family.  She never missed an opportunity to put on or attend a party or musical event with family or friends.

Esther will be dearly missed by her beloved husband and best friend of  67 years, Clarence “Clancy” Prokop of St. Croix Falls:  her children  Jerry (Stella) Prokop, Centuria; Jim (Jenny) Prokop, Superior; Judy (Don) Wolf, Eau Claire; Janise (Dale) Skow, Milltown:   grandchildren:  Nathan  (Cindy) Prokop;  Jason (Anne) Prokop;  Brian Prokop;  Brenda Prokop; Jeff (Heather) Wolf;  John Wolf;  Andrew (Kelsey) Wolf;  Kristan (James) Huenink ;  Kayla (Jared) Woody; Jamie Booth and  ten great-grandchildren.

Esther is also survived by one sister Doris Martinson , special friends Norm and Mary Jane Larson, Ike and Flo Joles, Pete Scianna  and many cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and dear friends.

Esther was preceeded in death by her parents Ervin and Gertie (Crandall) Kamholz, Sister Mable Harnstrom,  mother and father-in-law Jerry and Frances Prokop and brothers-in-law Richard Martinson and Skip Harnstrom.

The funeral service for Esther will be on Monday, May 20, 2013 at 11:00 A.M. at Redeemer Lutheran Church in St. Croix Falls.

Visitation for Esther will be held on Sunday, May 19, from 4-7 P.M. at Redeemer Lutheran Church and again on Monday one hour prior to the service at the church.

Following the funeral service, Esther’s family would like to invite their guests to join them for lunch and fellowship in the church basement.

Esther will be laid to rest at the Milltown Cemetery in Milltown, Wisconsin following the luncheon.  Casket Bearers will be Jason Prokop, Nathan Prokop, Andrew Wolf, Brian Prokop, Brenda Prokop and Kayla Woody.  Honorary Casket Bearers will be Pete Scianna Jr., Ike Joles, Norman Larson and Peter Scianna.

The Kolstad Family Funeral Home of Centuria has been entrusted with arrangements.