Esta Edmonds

Esta Lorene Bowker Edmonds was the 6 ^th of 10 children born to Charles Addison Bowker and Josie Gowens Bowker.  Esta was born on Tuesday, September 4, 1917 at the family home east of Rosston, OK. Esta attended the rural Lone Star School thru 8 ^th grade.  Esta was united in marriage to Lewis McKindrew Edmonds at the Harper County Courthouse in Buffalo, Oklahoma on August 3, 1933 and to this union two children were born, Donald Lee and Jo Ellen.  Esta was a farmer’s wife in her early years of marriage and survived the hardships of the “Dust Bowl” trying to raise their crops and cattle.  Esta and Lewis moved into Buffalo shortly afterwards and purchased the Buffalo Laundry which they operated for several years.  Esta then worked for Cohlmia’s Clothing Store and Wayne Mix’s Dry Cleaner’s until it closed.  Late one evening, Bill Harmon came to the house and asked her to go to work for him and Loy Burke at the Best Way Jack & Jill grocery store.  Esta agreed to go to work for them, but just until they could find some GOOD help.  20+ years later (after retiring a couple of times), Esta finally retired from the grocery store and became a stay-at-home housewife. Esta also assisted Mickey Wilkinson at his funeral home. Esta was a member of the Buffalo Senior Citizens and served as a Board Member for many years.  Esta was a very caring, Christian woman and was very proud to be a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Buffalo, OK. .  Esta joined her loved ones in Heaven on Thursday, January 1, 2015 at the Grace Living Center at the age of 97 years, 3 months and 28 days.  Esta was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Lewis Edmonds on December 29, 1999;  all her brothers and sisters:  Charles Bowker, Forney Bowker, Cecil Bowker, Lilly Bowker Fleming, Claude “Arnold” Bowker, J. Basil Bowker, Joe Bowker, Joy Bowker and Mareta Bowker Thatcher. Esta leaves as her survivors her son, Donald Edmonds and companion Sherilyn Smith of Perkins, OK; daughter Jo Ellen Edmonds of Buffalo, OK; 5 grandchildren, Gene Edmonds and wife Galin, Jimmy Edmonds, Debbie Fox and husband Don, Stacy Bradt and Mark Bradt;  8 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great grandchildren with 3 more on their way; many nephews, nieces, other relatives and a host of friends.