- Date Of Death: July 3, 1915
- State: Montana
Hester A. Mercer, passed away on Saturday, July 25, 2009 at the Springs at Whitefish in Whitefish, Montana. She lived a rich and full life of 94 years. Hester was born on July 3, 1915 in Earlville, New York the daughter of She was the fourth of five children raised by Vance and Benna (Vincent) Avery.
Her father owned the town hardware and was the fire chief. Her mother was a former teacher and Hester developed, early on, a very strong work ethic.
After graduation from high school Hester attended Rochester Institute of Technology and graduated from there with high honors.
Hester’s first job was in the retail business, working at J. N. Adams Department Store in Buffalo, New York, where she met her future husband, Eric, a wild and handsome Irishman.
The job of which she was most proud was that of an itinerant teacher hired through the University of Alabama. She thought that a Yankee female traveling around a state in the deep south prior to World War II was quite unusual and most interesting. Eric followed her south and they were married on September 3, 1938 in Meridian, Mississippi.
Eric and Hester returned north and lived in Buffalo, New York. Son, Douglas and daughter Sandee were born by the time World War II broke out. Eric wanted to join the Army but and fight to keep Europe free but the U.S. hadn’t entered the war yet. Eric walked across the Peace Bridge into Canada and joined the Canadian Army becoming an officer by wars end.
Hester and the children returned to Earlville to live with her parents during the war. A second son, Michael was born during those years. After the war, Eric joined the U.S. Army National Guard and was later in the Army Reserves where he attained the rank of Colonel.
Upon retirement, Eric and Hester were able to travel to Eric’s birthplace in Northern Ireland and other European countries several times. Those were their golden years.
The family lived in Niagara Falls, N.Y., State College, PA, Orimsky, Ontario, Canada and finally Tampa and Winter Park, FL. Hester worked for the city of Orlando before she retired.
Hester was a very clever woman and an excellent seamstress. She won numerous sewing contests in her early years and was proud ‘til the end of her closet was full of homemade garments.
Hester was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Colonial Dames.
Hester lost her beloved Eric on January 27, 1985. She maintained her home in Winter Park, Florida until 2006 when she moved to Montana for health reasons and to be closer to her daughter. She loved the rugged beauty of the northwest but always missed the warmth of the sunny south.
Hester was preceded in death by her husband Eric, her parents Benna and Vance Avery; a brother Eldridge and a sister Jean.
Hester is survived by her son Douglas Mercer of Mission Viejo, CA; daughter Sandee Rogers and husband James of Bigfork, MT; son Michael Mercer and wife Michelle of Upland, CA; two sisters, Eileen Liddle of Demar, N.Y.; and Wilma Washburn of Hamilton, N.Y.; grandchildren, Shannon, Heather, Kimberly, Karen, Courtney, Casey and Brandon and 15 great – grandchildren, all of California, Florida and Arizona.
