- Date Of Birth: September 14, 1912
- State: Idaho
Essie Mable Eager, 97 of Caldwell, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on September 28, 2009.
Essie was born in Somerset, Kentucky on September 14, 1912 to Vilety and Newton Jasper. She was the 10th of 11 children. She lived in Kentucky until her parents died in the late 1930s, and then moved west to Colorado. While there she met the love of her life, John Eager.
Essie and John had two sons. John Dwayne died at birth January 23, 1946. They were blessed by the birth of Richard January 18, 1951. They made their life working the farm together and raising Richard in a loving home. Their life was full and productive and she always remembered those years as some of her happiest. John passed away December 19, 1968, and Essie carried on for 41 years helping Richard with the farm work and raising cattle. She worked for Simplot for 20 years, retiring in 1977. Richard was married in 1973, and raised his family near Essie. She became an everyday fixture in the lives of her four grandchildren. She was a precious part of their lives and taught them tradition, morals, and most of all Christian values. She spent many hours with them reading the bible, singing songs, and playing the bible trivia game. Those habits were later shared with her great-grandchildren.
Essie was always active and hard working. As a youngster, she played on a boy’s baseball team, and she played with her grandkids well into her 70s. She loved baseball and was a devout fan of the Seattle Mariners. She learned to make quilts from her mother, and made special, hand stitched quilts for her son and each of her grandchildren. She worked in the garden and chopped wood for her wood stove into her early nineties. Her favorite recreation was camping and nothing was better than a good day of fishing.
Essie lived in her own home until she had a stroke in 2007, at which time she moved in with her son, Richard and daughter-in-law, Phyllis. She was with grandchildren and great-grandchildren every day until her death. Essie was one of a kind and will always be remembered.
Essie was preceded in death by her parents; 10 siblings; beloved husband, John; infant son, John Dwayne; and daughter-in-law, Beth Eager.
Essie is survived by her son, Richard and daughter-in-law, Phyllis; grandchildren, Matt and Andrea Eager of Sand Hollow, Lanae and Doyle Finch of Sand Hollow, Ellen Eager and Jared Hyde of Newport, Oregon, Casey and Amy Eager of Sand Hollow, Melissa and Anson Cornell, and Kenny Sharp of Emmett; great-grandchildren, Jaycee and Allison Gibbons, Matalynn, Olivia and Lexi Eager, Grace Finch, Luke Eager and Avery Cornell.
