Esther E. Smith

Esther E. Smith, 97, passed away August 23, 2019, at a Bangor healthcare facility. She was born December 13, 1921, in Sterling Colorado, the daughter of Emanuel and Elizabeth (Miller) Kautz, the youngest child of ten. Esther attended grammar and high school in Iliff, Colorado and graduated in 1939. She attended the Commercial Extension School of Business in Omaha, Nebraska, and the Emily Griffith School of Opportunity in Denver, Colorado. Esther was a lifelong member of the Peace Lutheran Church in Sterling, Colorado, but was also active in the United Methodist Church in Winterport until it closed. She taught Sunday School for approximately twelve years and later served as Financial Secretary of the church. Esther was an active member in the American Legion Auxiliary for many years and served in all offices of the Auxiliary. She worked with the Little league mothers serving food and drinks at games. Esther was a member of the Senior Citizens of Winterport and the National Association of retired Federal Employees. Esther worked in Federal Government for many years starting with the War Manpower Commission in Denver during World War II. After coming to Maine and several years later she went to work for the Federal Housing Administration, transferred to the Internal Revenue Service, and then the Farmers Home Administration. She retired from Federal Service after almost thirty years of service. For several years Esther and her husband traveled extensively though out the United States and the Hawaiian Islands. Esther also did a tour into Russia, another tour through Central Europe, northern Italy and into southern France. She enjoyed a cruise around the Caribbean Islands and another cruise up the west coast of Alaska. Esther also enjoyed many short trips through Maine and down the Atlantic Coast. Her home for the past 3 years at Winterberry Heights in Bangor enabled her to make and enjoy the friendship of many new friends. A special thank you to those families and also the caring staff that made her days special. She was predeceased by her husband, Forrest E. Smith, in 1996. She is survived by her children, a son, William I. Smith; two daughters, Margaret E. Downs and Karen Coffman; ten grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; and many other family and friends. Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM, Thursday, August 29, 2019, at the Hampden-Gilpatrick Chapel of Brookings-Smith, 45 Western Avenue, Hampden. Friends are invited to gather with the family from 1:00 PM until the start of th service. Interment will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Winterport. Gifts in her memory may be made to the Winterport Volunteer Ambulance Service and Fire Dept., P.O. Box 724, Winterport, ME 04496-0724. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.