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Author: HuntingtonV
Surnames: McDonald, Allen
Classification: obituary
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
Esther McDonald
Esther (Allen) McDonald, of 2821 16th Ave. S., a retired licensed practical nurse, died of
natural causes Friday at a local care facility. She was 103. Visitation, with the family
greeting friends, is 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday at Schnider Funeral Home. Her funeral is 10:30
a.m. Saturday at Central Christian Church, with burial at 2 p.m. At Riverside Cemetery in
Fort Benton.
Esther May Elizabeth Allen was born Aug. 20, 1906, in Markle, Ind., the youngest of Arthur
and Burta (Littler) Allen's six children, and the only girl. At the age of 3, she
boarded a train with her family and moved to Montana. Her parents were among the first
settlers to homestead northwest of Fort Benton, on a half section of land in Kelley Flats,
now Pleasant Valley.
Esther participated in all aspects of homesteading life for the next many years, cooking
for harvest crews, working in the house and garden, and attending school, church and
Pleasant Valley Sunday School. Her lifelong membership in the Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ) began during that time, and her family became charter members of the Fort
Benton Christian Church. In a quest for more education, Esther joined her brother Ross in
Spokane, and graduated from high school there.
Upon returning to Fort Benton, Esther became reacquainted with Jesse McDonald, who had
been born and raised in the Fort Benton/Highwood area. They married on July 3, 1926, and
moved to Highwood. They had two children, Bonnie May in 1927, and Jesse Allen in 1929.
Active and valued members of the community, Esther and Jesse became well-known as the
owners and operators of the Highwood Hotel. From there, the town's social center,
Esther was summoned often to help the sick or substitute for Jesse on his rural mail
route.
Esther and Jesse sold the hotel in 1949 and moved to Great Falls, where Esther worked as a
licensed practical nurse, continued her hobbies of crocheting and craftwork, and remained
active in family and church life, as well as the Rebekahs and International Order of Odd
Fellows. Upon Jesse's retirement in 1963, they toured the United States with a trailer
in tow, and finally settled in western Montana. There, they participated for more than 20
years in a variety of social and church-centered activities, first in the Bitterroot
Valley's Darby/Hamilton area and then in Missoula, where Jesse died in 1986.
Esther moved back to Great Falls in 1994, to be closer to her family. She renewed many
friendships from her Fort Benton and Highwood years, and nurtured new friends while living
at the Rainbow and Eagles Manor retirement communities. She had been a resident of Park
Place Health Care Center since 2003.
Esther established strong and special bonds with younger generations of her family. She
also experienced many milestones, including both a 50th and 60th wedding anniversary, as
well as a 90th, 95th and 100th birthday. Each of these events, as well as many others, was
accompanied by a wonderful music and story-filled celebration with family and friends.
Everyone enjoyed these opportunities to gather and honor Esther, whose warmth and gentle
humor, work ethic, faith, kindness and accomplishments were a source of inspiration
and love.
She is survived and will be sadly missed by her daughter, Bonnie Pacini (Ken) Morrow, and
daughter-in-law Connie McDonald, both of Great Falls; grandchildren Sheila McDonald of
Brunswick, Maine, Diana Pacini Bauer of Missoula, Scott (Janet) McDonald of Chandler,
Ariz., and Karen (Craig) Christopher of Colbert, Wash.; six great-grandchildren, Jonathan,
Sam and Jess Bauer, Brooke and Nathan McDonald, and Rebecca Libby; and many nieces and
nephews, who treasured Esther for her great gifts, and will sadly miss her as the last of
her generation of the Arthur and Burta Littler Allen family.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Jesse Allen McDonald;
her son-in-law, Bruno Pacini; five brothers, Cecil, Ross, Howard, Durward and Jay Allen;
and her parents.
Memorials are suggested to the Central Christian Church, 1025 Central Ave., Great Falls,
MT 59401; or to the donor's choice.
Condolences may be posted online at
www.schniderfuneralhome.com and/or
www.gftribune.com/obituaries.
Published in Great Falls Tribune from December 27 to December 30, 2009
Information contributed by Katherine Jenkins
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