Esther Deen

Esther Deen, a long-time Colfax resident, passed away at The Courtyard in Colfax on January 7, 2024. She was 92 years old.

A memorial service will take place on Thursday, January 18th, at 11 a.m., at Peace Lutheran Church in Colfax. A family burial will precede the service at the Colfax cemetery.

Esther was born in Richardton, North Dakota to Andreas and Julianna Enzi. She was the youngest of seven children. She grew up on a farm close to Hebron, North Dakota.

After graduating from high school in 1949, Esther worked at Montana-Dakota Utility Company. She and a friend decided to move to Spokane, Washington, where she attended Kinman Business School and worked for Carnation. It was there that she met her future husband, Don. The couple was married in 1959.

Don & Esther moved to Colfax in 1960 where Don managed the Colfax branch of Lemaster & Daniels Accounting firm. Esther made a career of being a stay-at-home mom. She volunteered as a room mother and a Campfire leader. She was a member of Peace Lutheran and later Selbu Lutheran Church. Her PEO and Atheneum clubs were also very important to her.

Esther enjoyed collector plates and Hummels. She also loved travelling, with highlights being trips to Germany, Greece, and Italy. Don & Esther made an annual trip to the Oregon Coast with family & friends. She enjoyed gardening, canning, and baking. She will always be remembered by her family for her wonderful orange rolls. Esther was also talented in sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She made numerous afghans and sweaters for all of her children and grandchildren. Esther enjoyed going on walks and would walk often with friends and family. She also loved animals, especially dogs.

Don & Esther enjoyed playing cards with friends from card groups in their younger years. After Don retired, Yahtzee became a favorite and she and Don played games most nights before dinner. Esther loved her family and was always ready for them to visit. She had a sweet tooth and loved cookies and milk shakes.

Esther was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Don, her parents Andreas & Julianna, three brothers, Emil, Edwin, and Edward and two sisters, Irma Walters and Klara Auch. She is survived by her sister Kay Enzi. She is also survived by three daughters, Janice (Arlo) Clark of Kettle Falls, Wash., Carrie Lynn (Tim) Gillam of Kent, Wash., Susan (Rod) Nemitz of Colfax, Wash .; and six grandchildren, Lauren (Bryant) Wong, Katelyn (Kyle) Ingham, Cole Clark, Jenna Gillam, Alexis Gillam, and Nathan Gillam. She is also survived by great grandson Henry Wong and a great granddaughter arriving in January 2024.

The family suggests memorials be given to Selbu Lutheran Church or Whitman Community Hospital Memorial Fund. Corbeill Funeral Homes of Colfax, WA, is caring for the family. On-line condolences may be made at http://www.corbeillfuneralhomes.com