Michelle Betty Lynn Hunter, the daughter of Dennis and Gloria Ruth (Jones) Ernsperger, was born March 23, 1971, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa and died August 27, 2020, at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital at the age of 49 years, 5 months, and 4 days.
Michelle was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, where she remained a member. She attended Audubon Community Schools, graduating with the High School Class of 1989. Michelle was blessed with three children: Dustin, Derek, and Nicole. She was employed as a waitress and enjoyed life in several area communities before returning home to Audubon in 2000. Once here, she worked for several years as a Certified Nurse’s Aide with Nursing on Call out of Gray, Iowa. She eventually returned to her waitressing roots at the Chatterbox in Audubon until it closed, then worked in the Deli at Audubon Food Land. Most recently, she was excited to be embarking on a new career with Waspy’s.
In her younger years, Michelle was involved in several activities and especially enjoyed participating in the local 4-H club. As she grew up, she developed an appreciation for cooking, but never lost her taste for the outdoors, loving to fish and ride motorcycles with her friends.
Preceding her in death were her biological father, Hubert Chris Daniel Hunter; her sister, Jeanette Crane-Ford; her brother, Bill Bald; and her grandparents.
Survivors include her children: Dustin Hunter and significant other Savannah Bradford, both of Exira, Iowa; Derek Bald and Nicole Bald, both of Audubon; her mother, Gloria Ahrens of Audubon; her father, Dennis Ernsperger and fiancé Rena Matthews, both of Niles, Michigan; her brothers and sisters: Randi Crane of Missoula, Montana; Chris and husband Ron Gauthier of Miami, Florida; Dennis and wife Kristen Ernsperger of Grimes, Iowa; Tony and wife Christine Ernsperger of Dow City, Iowa; Doug and wife Ann Ernsperger of Grinnell, Iowa; and Phillip and wife Coela Hunter of Randolph, Iowa; in addition to nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
There will be an open visitation held on Friday, September 18, 2020, from 1:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon. The family may not be present during the visitation. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2020, at 10:30 A.M. at the Audubon Legion Park with Pastor Gordon Buchholz officiating. Due to limited seating at the park, everyone is encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. A private family inurnment will be held in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon at a later date. Memorials are preferred to the family for later designation. Honorary casket bearers will be Dustin Hunter, Derek Bald, Nicole Bald, Randi Crane, the late Jeanette Crane-Ford, Chris Gauthier, Dennis Ernsperger, the late Bill Bald, Tony Ernsperger, Doug Ernsperger, and Phillip Hunter. The Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon is in charge of her arrangements.
