CHINOOK - Esther M. Sheets, 84, died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2005, at the Billings Grand Park Assisted
Living, where she had been a resi-
dent since October of 2003.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the
American Lutheran Church with interment at the Kuper Memorial Cemetery.
Esther was born March 23, 1920, to George and Inga (Johnson) Kelly in Crosby, N.D. She was raised on the family farm until leaving in 1940.
Esther married Ernest Lee Sheets on July 5, 1940, in Havre. Esther was a hard worker all of her life. Among her many accomplishments was being the first administrator of the Sweet Memorial Nursing Home in Chinook and later moving to Billings to be the administrator of the Yellowstone County Nursing Home. After her retirement in 1987, she became a loving foster parent to many precious children until unable to continue due to failing health. She then returned to live in Chinook from 1998 until 2003.
Esther had the ability to selflessly give of herself and to give unconditional love to all those she knew.
Esther's family wish to express the deepest gratitude to the staff at Grand Parks Assisted Living, Robert Meyer and staff of Rocky Mountain Hospice for their compassionate and loving care of their mother.
Survivors include her children, Chris (Mike) Kees of Reno, Nev., Laurie (Cole) Maddox of Chinook, Ernest Scott Sheets and Kathy (Pat) Larson of Billings; 15 grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren.
Esther was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ernest Lee Sheets, in 1972; brothers, John and Harold Kelly; sister, Ann Churchill Brainard; and grandson, Caleb Pippin.
Memorials may be sent to the Rocky Mountain Hospice, 2110 Overland Ave., Suite 111, Billings, MT 59102, or Sweet Memorial Nursing Home, Chinook, MT 59523.
Arrangements are by the Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.
