Esther Smith

ESTHER SMITH

Iowa City

Esther Smith, 85, longtime resident of Iowa City, died suddenly Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service. Private family services and burial in Oakland Cemetery will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Esther's memory.

To share a thought, memory or condolence with her family, please visit the funeral home website at www.gayandciha.com.

Florence Esther Hamre was born Dec. 22, 1933, in South St. Paul, Minn., the daughter of Leonard and Florence (Aegerter) Hamre. She graduated from Tipton High School in 1952. She married Daniel John Smith on March 14, 1953, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Following Dan's military service, the couple settled in Iowa City. Esther worked for many years at ACT. She was blessed with her family at home and her work family that she truly cherished! To those she loved, and those who loved her, she was simply their beautiful wife, mom, grandma, sister and friend.

Her family includes her loving husband of over 66 years, Dan; their daughters, Christine Pate (Dave), Shirley Peterson (Rick), Sharon Troyer (Randy) and Karen Willey (Kevin); eight grandchildren, Chad Pate (Shauna), Elizabeth Pate (Neil Wachal), Daniel Peterson (Emily), Erica Pedersen (Mike), Ben Troyer, Grant Troyer, Michael Willey (Hayley) and Jacob Willey; three great-grandchildren, Ella Pate, Zoa Barbee and Naomi Peterson; and Esther's sister, Marie Hamre.