Esther N. Montgomery

Sep. 17, 1914 - Aug. 5, 2016

Date of Service: Aug. 13, 2016

Esther N. Montgomery

ALBION – Esther N. Montgomery, age 101, of Albion, died Friday, August 5, 2016, at Highland Estates Assisted Living Facility in Burley.

Esther was born Sept. 17, 1914, near Springerton, Ill. She was the daughter of Elbert and Ella Goffinett Smith. Her family came to Idaho with all their belongings in a farm truck in 1935. She piled in the back with her brother and sisters for the long ride to Rupert. She met and married Arlo Montgomery in 1938. They were blessed with three children: Arla Jean (Jeane), Linda and George. The couple owned a farm in Heyburn growing wheat, hay, and they fed 1,500 head of cattle in their feedlot.

She was a 4-H leader for many years and touched many lives. Esther was one of the founders of the Mini-Cassia Cowbells. Through that organization she gained life-long friends and helped promote the beef industry. She won Idaho Cattle Woman of the Year. She was also a member of the Albion Four Leaf Clover Club. She was Minidoka County Fair Grandma Queen, and Grand Marshall of the Albion 4th of July parade.

In 1974, they moved to Albion and continued farming. Esther always put others before herself. It didn’t matter whether it was a sick neighbor, a new baby, or a German soldier at the POW camp. She cared for them even while her seven brothers were fighting with their fellow soldiers during WWII. She loved her grandchildren and she always tried to attend as many of their activities as she could. She was a member of the Burley United Methodist Church.

She is survived by her children, Arla Jean Glaesemann of Burley, Linda (Justin) Skaar of Rigby, and George (Gwen) Montgomery of Albion; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild; two sisters, Martha Kinzle, of Rupert, Dorotha May Tolley, of McLeansboro, Ill.,and one brother, Clyde (Buhla) Smith of House Springs, Mo.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; eight brothers; and one sister; one son-in-law; two grandsons-in-law; and one great-grandson.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, with Pastor John Ziulkowski officiating.

Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday, Aug 12, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. preceding the service at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Rupert Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that memorial contributions be made to the Esther Montgomery 4-H Memorial Fund at D.L. Evans Bank.