Esther M. Brooks

Esther (Stuart) Brooks went to be with her Lord and Savior on November 30, 2014 at the age of 101 years at Magnum Care in Hastings, MI. Esther was born on November23, 1913 to Endsley and May (Hunter) Stuart in their home on Mick Road in Clarksville, MI. She spent most of her life living in the local area, starting school at the one room Bushnell school east of town before attending and graduating from Clarksville School in early 1930s. She had many interesting stories to tell of her early life walking to school during both the winter and summer months with her brothers and sisters from their farm on Peddler Lake Road (now owned by the Zook family), helping her mother with meals when the harvesting crew came, the excitement when the Clarksville basketball team won the Class C state championship, going to dances with her sisters and friends at the local grange halls and earning fifty to seventy five cents (a nice payment during the depression)—setting finger waves in the hair of local ladies on Saturday. After graduating, she spent the summer working at the canning factory in Lake Odessa. It was there she met her future husband Cliff, from Scottville, MI. He was at the canning factory working for his uncle, installing the latest (at the time) canning machinery. They were married in LaGrange, Indiana in October of 1934. She had many interests including traveling, reading, and especially, oil painting. Many Esther's paintings were exhibited at local fairs, where they won ribbons. She would then give the paintings to friends and family, and also sold a few. She also enjoyed making Raggedy Ann dolls and stuffed animals, working crosswords puzzles, playing Scrabble with her sister Natalie (or anyone she could talk into playing!) and writing essays—some of which were published in Cappers Weekly. Esther was preceded in death by her husband Cliff; son-in-law Don Stahl; parents Endsley and Mary Stuart; sisters Alice (Jack) Rudd and Margaret (Wayne) Rose; brother Mike (Pauline) Stuart; as well as many friends and neighbors. She survived by daughter Marilyn Stahl; granddaughters Christine (Steve) Shellenbarger and Tracy (Roy) Herschberger; great grandson Kyle (Kristi) Langmaack; great granddaughters Ashley (Lanny) Overholt and Janelle (Ryan) Warnermeude; great great grandchildren Ethan and Eli Langmaack; brother Bruce (Glenna) Stuart; sister Natalie (Harry) Seelig; and step grandchildren Nathan (Amanda) Shellenbarger and family, Becky (Scott) Tauschek and family, and Justin Hershberger; and many nieces and nephews. Services for Esther were held at the Gateway Community Church, a church she considered a home, attending the monthly missionary services and weekly mornings Bible study and coffee for many years. Services were conducted by Pastor Mike Paschall. Internment in Clarksville Cemetry. Visitation December 02, 2014 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Gateway Community Church 165 N. Main St. Clarksville, MI (616) 693-2168 Funeral Service December 02, 2014 11:00 AM Gateway Community Church 165 N. Main St. Clarksville, MI (616) 693-2168