Esther Christine Opp, 95, of Napoleon ND, passed away on February 21, 2022 in West Fargo, ND.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church, Napoleon. Visitation will be held Friday, March 25, 2022 from 5:00-7:00 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church. Burial will be held at the Napoleon City Cemetery.  A livestream of Esther's funeral service will be available at www.dahlstromfuneralservice.com under her obituary.

Esther was born November 27, 1926, to Reinhold and Frieda (Wanner) Mertz on the family homestead near Dawson, North Dakota. She attended a one room schoolhouse through eighth grade. Esther was determined to achieve her high school diploma and did so through correspondence classes.

Without any college education she passed the exam to become a teacher and taught in one room schools for several years. While teaching she met her future husband of 65 years, Reinhold (Reiny) P. Opp. Esther married Reiny on her 21 ^st birthday, November 27, 1947 at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Streeter, ND. They lived on the Opp farmstead located in the "flat" between Streeter and Napoleon ND. Esther participated in St. Luke Lutheran Church as a Sunday school teacher, the women's group, and singing in the choir. After moving to Napoleon, she and Reiny became active members of Trinity Lutheran. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in both Streeter and Napoleon. She loved auction sales, furniture refinishing, sewing, and baking. She was a 4-H leader and served with the American Cancer Society.

Esther and Reiny were blessed with children and raised Julie, Galen, and Pamelyn on the farm while working to build a cattle and grain operation with hard work and dedication. Esther encouraged the expansion and growth of the farm operation, which included irrigation. Esther lived and worked on the family farm until 2000 when she and Reiny moved into Napoleon.

She enjoyed flowers and gardening and even at 94 years young was still pickling, canning, and freezing her produce. Esther was an excellent seamstress and created many quilts and crocheted doilies over her lifetime that are family treasures. Esther enjoyed trips with family to Medora, Washington DC, and a Germans from Russia trip to tour where her ancestors immigrated from in the Ukraine area. Esther was interviewed several times by the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection and was featured in the Prairie Public "Women Behind the Plow" documentary.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, husband Reinhold Opp (2012) and son-in-law Bradley J. Burgum (2010). Esther's legacy lives on through her children: Julie Burgum, Casselton ND; Galen (Barb) Opp, Napoleon ND; Pamelyn (John) Galegher, Thompson ND and her grandchildren:  James (Abigail) Burgum, Benjamin Burgum (Lindsey Eichenlaub), Lance (Heather) Sherman, Shane (Meredith) Sherman, Andrew (Amy) Galegher, Jenna (Peter) Kulenkamp, Shannon Galegher and twelve great-grandchildren. She is survived by her siblings: Melvin Mertz, Allean Boschee, Alvin (Edna) Mertz, Quentin (Arlyss) Mertz, JoAnne (Larry) Gauper, Bernice Rau, Sandy (Lloyd) Olsgard and sisters-in-law Genny Opp and Alice Opp.

The family would like to thank the staff at Kinder Care in West Fargo, North Dakota, and Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Esther's interviews done by Germans from Russia Collection: www.digitalhorizonsonline.org and at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XYnXDagX5A

Memorials to Germans from Russia Heritage Collection https://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/donations