Esther M. Eastman

Esther was born March 24, 1920 in Randolph, VT to William and Sarah Kendall. She spent her childhood in East Calais, VT where her parents ran a grocery and grain store. In 1935 she went to live with her aunt and uncle, Maude and Harold Bowen, in Randolph where she attended high school. After high school she transferred to Goddard Seminary in Barre and graduated in 1938. Following graduation she worked for the Vermont Forest Service in Montpelier and later for the treasury department at Green Mountain Power Company. In August of 1944 Esther married Kenneth M. Eastman of East Corinth after he was discharged from the Air Force, where he served as a B-17 Tail Gunner during WWII. The newly married couple worked for Gallerani and Sons in East Corinth. Kenneth was a cattle dealer and Esther was a bookkeeper. She and Kenneth enjoyed skiing, and along with the other members of the Eastman family, worked proudly after the war to reopen the Northeast Slopes ski tow, owned then by Kenneth's father, Gene Eastman. . Esther and Kenneth enjoyed spending time with family and friends and dancing was a favorite pastime. Esther loved sharing her many fond memories of their evenings at the Topsham Town Hall Dances. She was an avid fan of the Lawrence Welk show. The show and music always reminded her of these happy times. Esther was a talented homemaker and was always busy cooking, sewing, making quilts, creating greeting cards and scrapbooking. She was an active member of the community and local clubs, and was proud to have served as a member of the History Commission that wrote the Corinth town history. She valued the many friendships she made in Bradford, Topsham, Corinth and the surrounding communities. In 1996 she moved from her home in Bradford to the Frances Atkinson Retirement Home in Newbury, VT. She enjoyed seven comfortable years there making new friends and memories. She moved to the Grafton County Nursing Home in September and appreciated her new home very much. Esther was predeceased by her brother, Harvey William Kendall, who died in infancy; her father, William Kendall; her step-father, Carl Bancroft; her mother, Sarah Bancroft; and her husband, Kenneth Eastman. Esther is survived by her daughter, Sandy Eastman and her partner, Jack Cassidy, of Perkinsville, VT; her son, Scott Eastman and his wife, Denise, of Pike, NH; her grandchildren, Melissa Moore and her partner, Les Griffith, of Ferrisburgh, VT; Stephanie Moore and her fiance, Drew Musser, of Eagle, CO; Danielle Eastman and her fiance, Amanda Getsinger, of Providence, RI; Stacy Eastman of Pike, NH; her great-grandchildren, Tyler and Krisandra Provencher, of Ferrisburgh, VT, nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service will be held on June 9, 2012 at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Bradford, VT with a reception to follow. Esther desired donations be made in her memory to Northeast Slopes P.O. Box 1101, East Corinth, VT 05040 or Woodsville Ambulance 4910 Dartmouth College Hwy, Woodsville, NH 03785. The Hale Funeral Home of Bradford, VT is in charge of arrangements. To view an online guestbook go to www.halefuneralhomes.com

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