Esther Ella Smiley

Esther passed away peacefully on July 11, 2017 in Carmichael, California at the age of 102. Esther was born on October 21, 1914 in Emerald, Nebraska to August and Ella (Loos) Wiechert. She had one sister, Pearl, and two brothers, Arthur and Charles. Esther graduated from Teacher’s College High School in Lincoln in 1933. She then graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1939 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Food and Nutrition--Home Economics. After graduation, she worked at Miller and Paine Tearoom, Lincoln YMCA, the University of Omaha Cafeteria, and Estes Park YMCA cafeteria in Colorado.

She married Wayne Austin Smiley on September 14, 1946 in Denver, Colorado upon Wayne’s return from World War II in Europe. They lived and worked on ranches from 1947 until 1968 in: Ogden, Utah (1947-52), and in California, including Morgan Hill, (1952-54), and San Jose (1955-64), and Cottonwood (1964-68). They then lived from 1969 to 2006 in Merced. Esther worked as a dietician for the Merced City Schools District and was active with the Methodist Church in Merced. Wayne and Esther moved to Carmichael in 2006 to be near their son, Dan. Wayne died in 2010.

Esther was a friendly, patient, happy, talkative, and generous person. She would help others that needed it. She was known for her cookie baking, knitting, fruit canning, and letter writing.

She is survived by her son, Daniel Smiley of Sacramento, Beverly Smiley of Carmichael, and 3 grandchildren, Denise, her husband Philip Altieri of San Clemente, and great grandchildren, Alexander and Elizabeth; and Jennifer Smiley of Carmichael; and great grandchildren, Katelyn, Jackson, and Brooklyn; and Steven Smiley, and his wife, Lauren, of Sacramento.

Arrangements under the direction of Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, Merced, CA.