Esther Pearl Langbein Hokanson, age 89, of Sac City, IA, died Friday, September 10, 2021, at Park View Rehabilitation Center in Sac City.
   Esther was born on the family farm in Wall Lake Township Section 6 of Sac County on January 2, 1932, to parents William Clarence Langbein and Laura Caroline Meyer Langbein. She was baptized by Pastor Kreutz on February 7, 1932, at Immanuel Lutheran Church (Cook Township), Odebolt, IA. On April 15, 1945, she publicly confessed her faith and was confirmed by Pastor Stahnke at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
   Esther was united in marriage to Charles Wesley Hokanson (1931-1984) on January 20, 1952, at Immanuel Lutheran Church by Pastor Schaefer. Charles and Esther made their home in Sac City for 32 years until his death in 1984. God blessed them with a daughter, Jane Esther Hokanson Hawks, on Good Friday, April 8, 1955.
   Esther was a long time member (1952 to 2021) of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sac City where she was active with the Dorcas Circle, Ladies Aid and other church activities.
   On August 27, 1994, she married retired Lt. Colonel Olav Njus in Norway Lake, MN. Initially, they spent a few years in their homes in Sac City and Norway Lake, but lived most of their married life in Sac City until Olav’s death in 2002. On September 10, 2021, God called Esther home to heaven.
   Esther grew up on the family farm and attended grade school at Wall Lake Township School #3. She attended high school in Sac City and graduated in 1949. Esther worked at Citizen’s Savings Bank in Sac City for 43 years. She loved to play cards as a member of several bridge clubs and was always ready to travel with her spouses, daughter, granddaughter, friends and travel groups. Her most memorable trip was to Wittenberg, Germany, to see the churches and home of Dr. Martin Luther. She was also a member of the German American Society in Omaha, NE. Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in Wyoming, Hawaii, California, Washington, DC, and cruises in the Caribbean were her preferred travel destinations.
   Survivors include her daughter, Jane (Edward) Hawks of Underwood, IA, and granddaughter, Jennifer (Ken Peterman) Hawks, and two great granddaughters, Emma Hawks Peterman and Katherine Hawks Peterman, all of Encinitas, CA. Other survivors include her sisters-in-law, Norma Hokanson of Chandler, AZ, and Janet Langbein of Lake View; and many nieces and nephews.
   Esther was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Charles and Olav, brother Arthur Langbein, and sister Arlene Riley, and several other family members.