Esther Olive (Penhallick) Rogers

Esther was born on the the 3rd of December 1917 in Moses Lake, Washington, the fourth sister of seven daughters, and passed away in Tacoma, Washington on the 23rd of August 2009.

She was preceded in death by her husband Claire H. Rogers, father Martin Penhallick, mother Jerania Olive Ketchum, sisters Victoria Suko, Ada Burt and Alberta Penhallick. Esther is survived by her sisters Viola Swanson, Roberta Crooks, Constance Snyder, sister-in law Louise Blaise and numerous nieces and nephews.

Esther grew up in Moses Lake, graduated from Moses Lake High School and attended Eastern Washington College of Education. She was the 1939 Apple Blossom Princess from Moses Lake to the Wenatchee Apple Blossom Festival. She and her sister, Roberta, traveled to Anchorage, Alaska in 1940 & 1941 but they returned to Spokane to help care for her sister Ada who was dying of Tuberculosis. Esther married Claire H. Rogers in 1944 and made Seattle her home until her death. There were no children of this union. She worked for the U. S. Postal service for 17 years and following her husbands passing in 1970 she divided her time between Seattle and Moses Lake where she had real estate interests in both cities. Esther was the matriarch of the family whose counsel and leadership was treasured by all.

Esther was an avid reader, loved to work in her yard and travel with her sister Roberta and her husband. The onset of Alzheimer’s disease curtailed her activities over the last few years. Always a fighter, she lived in her house until May of this year and then moved to an assisted living facility in Tacoma.

A memorial service will be held in the E. W. Chapel at the Evergreen-Washelli Funeral home, 11111 Aurora Avenue N., Seattle, WA at 10 a.m., on Saturday, August 29, 2009. Internment and graveside services will be at the Penhallick Family Plot, Section Six, Fairmont Cemetery, Spokane, Washington at 12:30 p.m., on Tuesday, September 1, 2009.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and the staff at Narrows Glen, Weatherly Inn, Group Health, St Joseph’s Hospital, North West Hospital and Orchard Park for their compassionate care during this period.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation in Esther’s name.