Esther Arp, age 98 of Spearfish, went home to heaven on Sunday, June 21, 2026 at the Spearfish Canyon Healthcare Center.

A graveside service will be held 1pm Friday, June 26, 2026 at Pine Slope Cemetery in Belle Fourche. Funeral arrangements are with Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Friends may leave written condolences online at www.LeveringtonFH.com

Esther Lillian Kessler was born July 18, 1927 on the family ranch near Okaton, South Dakota. She was the daughter of Harvey and Nellie (Cox) Kessler. Esther grew up on the family ranch just north of Okaton SD and she attended the Kessler country school. She graduated from the Okaton High School and attended Black Hills State University for a short time. In her younger years, Esther was a school teacher. One day she met her future husband at a barn dance, and Art Arp married Esther in December of 1945 at Pastor Grave’s home in Murdo SD. To this union two sons were born: Lonnie Ray and Allen Arthur. In 1950, Art and Esther moved to Belle Fourche where both of them worked at American Colloid for several years. For ten years, they volunteered at South Park school in Belle Fourche. Many of the kids called them “Grandpa Art” and “Grandma Esther”. Art primarily helped with the 4th grade class, while Esther helped the 3rd grade class. Those years were precious times for Art and Esther, and they loved those kids very much. In 2011, Art and Esther moved to Spearfish. Art died in 2022.

Esther is survived by her two brothers, Loyal (Inge) Kessler of Red Lodge MT, Larry (Wanda) Kessler of Kearney NE; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; two sons, Lonnie Ray and Allen Arthur; sister, Lorraine Waitman; and three brothers, Lowell, Glen “Tiny”, and Harvey “Duke” Kessler.