Esther A. Safford, of the town of Wescott, passed away Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013, at the age of 91.
Esther was born on Sept. 22, 1921, in Oconto Falls, the oldest of four children born to Wm. J. Kallies and Augusta Redmann. She is preceded in death by one sister, Bertha Kallies, who died at two months, and by her two brothers, August and Albert Kallies. She is also preceded in death by her first husband, Alfred “Fritz” Pludeman, who died on June 21, 1946, the second recorded death from leukemia in Shawano County.
Esther was confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church-Stony Hill in the town of Richmond. She worked a number of jobs as a young woman and retired from the telephone company, Frontier Communications, Clintonville, in May 1987 after 40 years of service. Esther was a member of St. James Lutheran Church, Shawano, since 1940. She was an active member of the Tabitha Society, working to prepare luncheons for many funeral services. She was a member of the local VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 2725.
On May 22, 1948, Esther married Roger C. Safford. The couple enjoyed 58 years together, gardening, reading, feeding the songbirds and watching life on the lake. Esther was an excellent cook. Her natural curiosity and interest in life were rare. She and Roger looked out for one another until Roger’s death on Oct. 28, 2006. Esther grieved the loss until the end of her life. Esther found comfort and a special closeness in her nephew, the Rev. Bruce Kallies, of Rochester, Minn. He was like a son. She was also fond of his siblings, Joan Kallies, of Victoria, British Columbia, who reminded her of her mother; Susan Kallies, of Seattle, Wash., who remained her Little Squirt; Vickie Kallies, of Maryville, Tenn.; Steven Kallies, of Oshkosh; and Bryan Kallies, who preceded her in death. Esther will be missed by her many, many close friends and her family. The kindness of others filled Esther’s last years with deep gratitude.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013, at the St. James Lutheran Church in Shawano with the Rev. Ted Andrada officiating. Burial will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Shawano. Visitation will be held at the church on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service.
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials can be made to St. James Lutheran Church or the Tabitha Society of St. James.
The family would like to thank the entire staff at Birch Hill Care Center. Esther had many favorites and she greeted their next time on duty with her genuine smile.
www.swedbergfuneralhome.com
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