Esther Seaman, 85, passed away on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008, in Kalispell.
She was born on Sept. 20, 1922, in Chinook, to Raymond and Jose Fern (Rager) Runnion. Funeral services for Esther will be held today at 1 p.m. in the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Chapel with Pastor Tom Glatts officiating. Burial will be in the C. E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. Visitation was on Tuesday, Sept. 2, from noon to 6 p. m. Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Esther’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome. com to offer condolences and sign Esther’s guest book. Ester attended school in Chinook and at an early age married the love of her life, George Henry Seaman, on Nov. 30, 1937, in Malta. They made their first home in Chinook and later moved to Havre while raising 10 children. They moved one last time making Kalispell their permanent residence. Esther and George celebrated 52 years of marriage until George’s passing in 1989. Esther’s life work was being a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She has left behind an ongoing legacy of strength, courage and love for her family and friends. She will also be remembered by all who knew her for her active listening, tender hugging and comfort food that was part of every visit to her home. Esther enjoyed reading, her pets, flower and vegetable gardening and preserving food. Esther was preceded in death by her husband; her daughter, Margaret Black of Kelso, Wash. In 1977; brothers, Joe and Enoch Runnion; a sister, Rosa Pederson; and a grandson, Pete Springer of Hingham, in 1976. She is survived by three sisters, Mary Ellen Seaman of Chinook, Jean Bosch of Trout Creek and Rita Dungan Cancellare of Missoula; a brother, Richard Runnion of Bozeman; four sons, Vernon and Donald Seaman of Kalispell, David Seaman of Aloha, Ore., and Paul Seaman of Renton, Wash.; five daughters, Luella McCabe of Ridgefield, Wash., Diana Enloe of Rawlins, Wyo., Betty Ann Leap of Tacoma, Wash., Vicki Niederegger of Chinook and Janet Knauss of Libby; 20 grandchildren; and 37 greatgrandchildren.
