Esther L. Heser, 95
Esther L. Heser, 95, passed away Tuesday, Feb., 13, 2007, at Heritage Place in Kalispell. Esther was born Aug. 25, 1911, in Powell, Wyo., to Margaret and Elijah Loomis. She lived in Powell until the family moved to The Dalles, Ore., when she was 12. Two years later the family moved to Vancouver, Wash., and lived there until 1927, when the family moved to Brockway. Esther went to high school in Terry until the school in Brockway re-opened. She graduated from Brockway in 1931 as valedictorian in her class of seven.
She then went to Bozeman and attended nurses training for 18 months. In 1933, she worked at the hospital in Wolf Point, where she met and married Joe Heser. They were married Sept. 8, 1934. Joe had two sons, Edward and Milton.
Three years later, LeRoy was born, and one year later, Margaret Rose was born. During those years they owned and operated a farm just outside of Wolf Point, where all the children had chores to do to keep the farm running.
In May 1980, Joe passed away. Esther moved into Wolf Point but continued running the farm until 1990, when she sold it.
She stayed in Wolf Point until 2002, when she moved to Kalispell. She was 91 years old at the time, and it was the first time she had a home with a dishwasher. In 2005, she moved into the Greenwood Village Assisted Living. She stayed there until 2006, when she moved into Heritage Place.
Esther was preceded in death by her husband, Joe, in 1980; sons, Edward in 1984, and Milton in 2001. She was also preceded by two brothers, Gordon and Harrison.
She is survived by a daughter, Margaret Onstad, and husband, Duane, of Kalispell; son, LeRoy Heser, and wife, Dee, of Kalispell; sister, Verna Peterson, and her husband, Merle, of Hot Springs; seven grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Visitation for Esther will be from 3 to 7 p.m. today, Feb. 16, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at Risen Christ Catholic Church in Kalispell. Funeral Mass will also be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wolf Point with burial afterward at Greenwood Cemetery in Wolf Point.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.