Esther Dufour

Esther Dufour of Frederick died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007, at Longmont United Hospital. She was 83.Esther was born March 16, 1923, in Hugo to Henry Engel and Mollie (Dietz) Engel.She grew up on the Eastern Plains of Colorado farming and ranching as a family. She graduated from Arriba High School in 1941.On Nov. 28, 1942, she married Armand M. Dufour in Boulder. The family moved to Dacono from Boulder in 1952.She and her husband operated the Dacono Grocery for a number of years. They later converted their property to the A&E Rec, a local game room for the Tri-Town area. She later went to work for Amphenol, as an assembler of circuit boards.An active bowler for a number of years, she participated in leagues in both Fort Lupton and Longmont. For many years, she was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary of Dacono.Preceding her in death were her husband; a son, Kevin Dufour; four sisters, Peggy Kriefels, Pauline Sallee, Irene Dillman and Marie Hill; and three brothers, Ruben, Fred and Henry Engel.Surviving are two sons, Stan Dufour and his wife Nancy and Larry Dufour and his wife Florence, and a daughter, Cheri Villani and her husband Rocco, all of Frederick; a brother, Bill Engel and his wife Dorothy of Limon; eight grandchildren, Rodney Dufour and his wife Jody, Randy Dufour and his wife Melinda, Roger Dufour and his wife Melissa, Ranissa Dufour, Janel Skinner and her husband Thomas, Rocco Villani III, Antonio Villani and his wife Kandra, and Nicole Skaggs and her husband Brian, all of the Frederick area; and 14 great-grandchildren, Ashlie, R.J., Alex, Dylan, Aspen, Tori, Riley Dufour, Madison Skinner, Makayla, Cheyenne, Antonia and Joseph Villani, and Xander and Ayden Skaggs.Visitation hours will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 4, at the Howe Mortuary Community Room.Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 5, at Howe Mortuary, with David Bradshaw of LifeBridge Christian Church officiating. Interment will follow at Foothills Gardens of Memory.Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society, Denver Metro Market, Longmont/Niwot Office, 6857 Paiute Ave., Niwot 80503.Please share your thoughts, memories and condolences with the family at www.howemortuary.com.