Esther Graesser

Esther Graesser nee Benjamin was born in Manhattan, NY on Nov. 18, 1953. She was a graduate of The Bronx High School of Science. She attended the State University of New York at Buffalo and graduated with a B.A. degree in psychology in 1974. She then attended graduate school at The University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated with an MBA in Information Systems in 1982.

Moving to Raleigh, NC, Esther worked for IBM at the Research Triangle Park in Information Systems for seven years followed by five years at Nortel in Marketing. She met her future husband, Robert (Bob) J. Graesser, at a small Memorial Day gathering at the home of mutual friends, Rick and Cindy Waggoner. There they learned that they had both earned M.A. degrees at the Univ. of Texas at Austin, although their times there did not overlap. They married on June 12, 1993, at White Plains United Methodist Church in Cary. They resided in Cary, NC, throughout their 33-year marriage.

Early in their marriage, Esther earned a degree in Technical Writing. She put this to immediate use as a volunteer with the Red Cross, where she designed a calendar for them that earned her a special technical writing award. Esther was also a political campaign volunteer at Party Headquarters in Raleigh for several presidential campaigns. Following these activities, she was on permanent medical disability until retirement age.

Esther loved flower gardening, and long walks with Bob, both at Shelley Lake in Raleigh and along the Hinshaw Greenway which runs behind their home in Cary. With her technical writing expertise, she was always happy to proofread Bob's work product. She enjoyed trips with Bob to Washington, DC, Farmville and Richmond, VA, Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington, NC, Pilot Mountain, NC, Orlando, FL, and St. Louis, MO. She patiently put up with Bob and his Civil War battlefield obsession.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, Oriel and Lucy (nee Berechid) Benjamin of Bronx, NY. After a courageous battle with breast cancer, she is survived by her loving husband, Bob, of Cary, NC, brother- and sister-in-law Kenneth and Kathy Graesser of St. Louis, MO, and nieces and nephews: Chris Graesser of Seattle, WA; Dr. Daniel Graesser (Gillian Weiss) of Seattle, WA; Laura Graesser of Chicago, IL; Dr. Sarah (Dr. Brian) Gordon of St. Louis, MO; and, Dr. Elizabeth Graesser (Dr. Zak Rajput) of Salt Lake City, UT. She is also survived by grand nieces and nephews: Eleanor and James Graesser, and Jacob and Emma Gordon. Finally, she is survived by a sister, Rachel (Mark) Chiffer of Old Saybrook,CT, and niece, Molly Chiffer.

There will be a visitation at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home at 200 SE Maynard Rd. in Cary, NC, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. A final visitation will be held 10:00am - 11:00am on Tues., Sept. 15, at St. John United Church of Christ in Trenton, IL, followed by a brief service at 11:00am. Burial will be in the Graesser Family plot in Trenton City Cemetery, Trenton, IL.

In lieu of flowers, plants, or other gifts, memorials in Esther's honor can be made to https://www.komen.org to aid in the fight to end breast cancer.