Estelle T. Kirchoffner, 71, of Bismarck, North Dakota, passed away Monday, October 12, 2026, at Brookings Health System in Brookings, SD.

Visitation with family present and a prayer service to follow will be held Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Eastgate Funeral Service, 3117 E Century Ave., Bismarck. A memorial Mass will be held Friday, October 23, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Bismarck, ND, with a luncheon to follow. Burial will take place at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan, ND.

Estelle was born October 29, 1954, in Rolla, North Dakota, to Antoinette (Rivard) and Omer Lagasse. Estelle attended Rolla High School, and then Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, ND, where she received her associate degree in business.

On June 18, 1976, Estelle married Terrance (Terry) at St. John’s Roman Catholic Church in St. John, ND. She and Terry lived and raised their family in Rolla, ND, until they moved to Bismarck, ND, in 1992. Bismarck is where they continued to raise their two daughters, and where they lived into their retirement years. She retired on September 30, 2021, from the State of North Dakota, where she worked in the Teacher’s Retirement and Investment Office.

One of Estelle’s favorite things to do was to watch her grandchildren’s multiple activities, both in North Dakota and Nebraska. She attended everything from athletic events, to band and choir concerts, to dance recitals. She loved spending time with them playing games and decorating cookies, and she was always willing to help babysit whenever she could. She enjoyed Husker volleyball and Fighting Sioux hockey, bowling, playing bingo, and sewing or repairing items for her family members. She also enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

She particularly enjoyed the fall and winter holidays. For Halloween, she always loved dressing up in elaborate costumes and always seemed to win the office costume party. For Christmas, her tree was always one of the first ones up, and her elaborate decorations included a large collection of snowmen of all shapes and sizes. She also enjoyed making yarn and plastic canvas snowflakes for her grandchildren’s teachers every year.

Estelle is survived by her husband of 50 years, Terry, of Bismarck; daughters, RaeAnn (Todd) Meyer and their children, Hadley, Harper, and Hudson, all of Hooper, Nebraska, and Brieann (Michael) Jochim and their children, Dominic, Felicity, Lorelei, Everett, Merida, and Atticus, all of Bismarck; sister Lucille (David) Des Roches; brother Raymond (Diane) Lagasse; sister-in-law Eileen Lagasse; sister-in-law Aleda (Bob) Ahlgren; sister-in-law Elaine Kirchoffner; brother-in-law Thomas (Connie) Kirchoffner; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Antoinette and Omer Lagasse; parents-in-law, Lucas and Hazel Kirchoffner; brothers, Leo and Roger Lagasse; sister Leonie (Thomas) Boe; and brothers-in-law Frank (Janice) Kirchoffner and Donald Kirchoffner.

Estelle will be remembered for her kind heart, loving spirit, and generous nature. She had a special way of making those around her feel loved and cared for, and her family meant everything to her. Her grandchildren held a very special place in her heart and brought her so much joy and happiness.

Memorials will be determined by the family at a later date.