Esther Bickel Werner was born April 24, 1916 on a farm 8 miles east of Herried, SD, the daughter of Martin and Christina (Beck) Bickel. She attended a rural grade school. After her father's death in 1928 during a farm accident, Esther, her mother and siblings moved into Herreid where she completed grade school. Esther graduated from Herreid High School in 1933. In 1933 and 1934 she attended Northern State Teacher's College in Aberdeen SD and received her teaching degree. Esther then returned to Campbell County South Dakota to teach school for the next seven years. In 1941 she accepted a position as teller for the Herreid Branch of the Eureka State Bank. In 1943 she was one of the original stockholders when Campbell County Bank was organized. She became the assistant cashier for the bank. On July 15, 1942 Esther married Wilmer A Werner at Artas, SD. After her husband's release from the Armed Forces in 1945, they moved to Forbes ND where they owned and operated "Peoples", a general merchandise store. In 1951 they moved to Aberdeen where they operated the Curtiss Candy business. In 1952 they moved to the Werner family farm west of Herried. In 1973 Esther and Wilmer received the Campbell County Conservation Award and were honored at SDSU in Brookings SD and at the South Dakota State Fair. They loved living on the farm and after 44 years of actively farming, they retired 1996, the year they celebrated as recipients of the Century Farm Award. Esther and Wilmer continued to live on the farm until the time of their deaths. Esther was elected to the Cambell County Bank Board of Directors in 1961, and served until 1992. She was the Chairwoman of the Board from 1979 to 1991. She was an active member of Peace Lutheran Church in Herreid serving over the years as a Sunday School Teacher, ALCW President, Circle President and a member of the Herreid Yoked Council. She was also a member of the Herreid American Legion Auxiliary. Esther enjoyed cooking for her family with her Kitchen being a special treat for the grandchildren. Her hobby was her large garden and the fruits of her labor in it. She would also spend hours reading and writing letters. Mail time was a special part of her day.