ESTHER HAN, Obituary

INVERNESS Esther Aileen Han, 83, Inverness, died Thursday, Sept. 12, 2002, at a Chester nursing home.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church in Chester. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Monday at the Highland Cemetery in Havre.

Aileen was born April 9, 1919, to Robert and Esther (Strissel) Woods on the family homestead near Inverness. The family moved to Alberta in 1920. She received her early education at Warrick, Legreville and Lavoy. The Woods' returned to Inverness in 1937, so Aileen finished her schooling there. She graduated from Inverness High School in 1938. During the next few years, she worked as a clerk at Sanvik Brothers in Rudyard and the post office in Inverness.

Aileen married Charles D. "Dud" Han on Sept. 13, 1941, at Great Falls. They lived and worked on the Han farm south of Inverness throughout their married life. Aileen and Dud moved to the Liberty County Nursing Home in 1997. He died on Dec. 3, 1997.

Aileen was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in Inverness and served on the church council and was past president of the U.M.W. She also served as a precinct committeewoman for many years and worked as an election judge. Aileen was recognized as a Gold Star Mother following the death of her oldest son, Chuck, a casualty of the Vietnam War.

Aileen loved flowers and plants, especially African violets. She enjoyed raising a vegetable garden and nurturing her strawberry patch, then canning her produce. She also was talented at baking and cooking. Her other interests included crocheting, sewing, fishing, square dancing and collecting plates. Aileen loved music and was an amateur pianist and was a "pretty good vocalist in her prime."

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and son, Chuck.

Survivors include her daughters, Shirley Dick of Billings and Dorothea "Dotty" (Chuck) Dick of Hardin; son, Don (Jaye Dee) Han of Rudyard; brother, Bob Woods of Inverness; aunt, Vi Woods of Chester; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials will be given to the United Methodist Church in Inverness or the Hi-Line Health Foundation in Chester.

Arrangements are by Rockman Funeral Chapel, Chester.