Esther Mae Raugewitz

Esther Mae Raugewitz, age 91 of Wellsville, Kansas passed away Sunday, June 14, 2026 at the Wellsville Retirement Community with family by her side. A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, July 19, 2026, from 3-7 pm at the Wellsville Retirement Community. Family graciously asks that no floral arrangements be sent and suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Wellsville Library, Salvation Army, Family Worship Center Food Pantry, Wellsville Methodist Church, or the Wellsville Historical Society in care of Wilson’s Funeral Home, PO Box 486, Wellsville, KS 66092.

Esther Mae Raugewitz was born November 8, 1934, in Platte, South Dakota, the daughter of Michael and Josephine Elizabeth (Johnson) Luthro. She graduated from Grand Forks High School, North Dakota in 1952. Shortly after, she moved with her brother to Austin where she went on to attend the University of Texas. In 1956, Esther graduated with her B.S. in Education and relocated to Tucson, Arizona to teach school. Upon traveling to Emporia, Kansas in 1959 to attend her brother’s wedding, she met his roommate and co-worker at the Santa Fe Railroad, Dick Raugewitz. It was love at first sight and they were married February 24, 1960 in Emporia. They celebrated 54 years of marriage before his passing in 2014.

Esther had been in Wellsville since 1964. She was a homemaker while raising her children, making birthday and wedding cakes for the community until returning to work as a teacher with the Wellsville School District in 1981. She spent 23 years as a 5th and 6th grade teacher at Wellsville, teaching and leaving an unforgettable mark on the hundreds of children who passed through her classroom.

After retiring in 2004, Esther enjoyed traveling with her husband and children and was very active in her community. Her support, dedication to volunteerism, and demonstration of her faith to those in need was manifested by her involvement in the Wellsville City Library, Wellsville Historical Society, Wellsville United Methodist Church, Wellsville Family Worship Center Food Pantry, and the Olathe Hospice House, as well as others. She was often seen delivering any number of homemade goodies to the local businesses and her friends. Christmas time was especially looked forward to by all, as she would deliver her delicious homemade Norwegian Krumkaka. She was a smiling, contagiously happy, warm and loving presence, as well as no-nonsense and seldom filtered.....very seldom filtered. She will be dearly missed by her family and small town that was lucky enough to have her call home.

Esther is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Rick and Judy Raugewitz of Odessa, MO; daughter and son-in-law, Jolyne and Michael Ryan of Oklahoma City, OK; son and daughter-in-law, Matt and Tania Raugewitz of Windsor, CO; grandchildren: Rachael Beltran (Melvyn) of Aurora, CO; Zachary Raugewitz (Samantha) of Topeka, KS; Sarah Moylan (Brien) of Kansas City, KS; Will Ryan of Oklahoma City, OK; Sophie Raugewitz and Jack Raugewitz, both of Windsor, CO; as well as 4 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents and 6 siblings. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Esther Mae Raugewitz, please visit our floral store.