Esther M. Huxtable, 76, of Sparta passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her family after a short battle with cancer on Wednesday, January 2, 2008. She was born on November 13, 1931 in Cary, IL to Ainer and Gladys (Gladden) Rasmussen. She grew up in Cary and married Kenneth J. Huxtable on September 18, 1954 in Cary.

     After marriage they lived in Algonquin, IL for eight years. They moved to Crystal Lake, IL and lived there from 1962 until 1986. They then moved to Janesville, WI in 1986 and lived there until they moved to Sparta, WI in 2000.

     She is survived by her three children, Dianne (Michael) Strout of Wonder Lake, IL, Kathy (Timothy) DeCraene of Sparta, WI, Kenneth (Michelle) Huxtable of Salt Lake City, UT; seven grandchildren, Lisa (Steven) Beard, Katie (Matthew Jerrells) Strout, Stacie (Matthew O’Block) Strout, Theresa (Darren) Hanson, Adam DeCraene, Grace Huxtable, and Chloe’ Huxtable; a sister, Dorothy Gill of Burlington, WI; four sisters-in-law, Marjorie Broederdorf of West Dundee, IL, Anna Huxtable of Huntley, IL, Phyllis Rigg of Tuscon, AZ, Marjorie Rasmussen of Stevens Point, WI; a brother-in-law, Russell Mitchell of Joliet, IL; many nieces and nephews.

     She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Kenneth on December 21, 2002; a sister, and two brothers.

     Private burial will be at a later date in the Crystal Lake Memorial Park, Crystal Lake, IL

     Memorials may be given to Gundersen Lutheran Hospice, in Memory of Esther M. Huxtable, 1900 South Ave, La Crosse, WI 54601.

     The Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta, WI is assisting the family with arrangements.