Esther Hackney (1927-2012) Obituary from the Daily News Miner

Esther Louise Hackney departed this life for a heavenly calling July 18, 2012, with her husband of more than 65 years at her side.

A memorial service for Esther will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 26, 2012, at First Presbyterian Church, at Seventh Avenue and Cushman Street. A reception will follow at the church in the fellowship hall.

Esther was born Feb.16, 1927, eldest of three daughters to Marcus (Mark) and Julie Evans in Johnson City, N.Y.

She grew up in Greene, N.Y., where Mark farmed and Julia taught school. She received a home economics scholarship to Cornell University. There she met Glenn Hackney. Love trumped learning, and both left Cornell to be married Dec. 8, 1946.
Esther worked for L.C. Smith, the typewriter giant, and Glenn for a retail lumber company. In 1947, the couple, with Glenn's brother and his wife, heard beguiling stories of Alaska spun by a visiting teacher.

So in 1948, the couples moved to Anchorage to start new lives of adventure. Esther started work in the Alaska Railroad Commissary.

Son, Glenn Alan was born in 1949, and son, Arthur James in 1951, in Anchorage. Hunting, fishing, camping and scouting were family affairs.
The family moved to Fairbanks in 1962 when Glenn became manager of the Alaska Concrete Products branch plant. Active in church life at "1st Pres," Esther met Mable Rasmussen, founder of Presbyterian Hospitality House and something clicked. Esther became Mable's secretary and confidant, an association that continued for many years.

Esther was a hand knitter and turned out hundreds of pieces of knitwear. She enjoyed teaching knitting classes and the discipline knitting brought to otherwise idle hands.

When Glenn became active in politics, Esther always went with him to Juneau where those knitting fingers often were in motion as legislative business droned on. She often typed "freebie" letters in those penny-pinching sessions.

Esther was widely known for her devotion to her God, her family and her community. She was always ready to help others with prayer, gentle words of encouragement or hands-on help if necessary.

Esther was pre-deceased by her parents and sisters, Phyllis and Virginia.
She is survived by her husband, Glenn; son, Glenn Alan and wife Kate; son, Arthur James and wife April; granddaughter, Mary and companion Peg; great-granddaughter, Aurora, and great-grandson Max; granddaughter, Heather; granddaughter, Alexis and husband Jake Moyer, and great-grandson James; nieces, Pamela Ivie and Darcie Harris; nephews, Mark and Steve Ivie and families; nephew, David Hackney and wife Ginger; niece, Jane Sellen and families.
Esther loved to travel to New Zealand, Australia, Israel and England, but nowhere more fondly than to Hawaii. Glenn and Esther became like family at the Affordable Hawaii B&B. Bill and Maria Wilson and the Finn family always filled their vacations with aloha memories.

Esther Louise Hackney lived a long and productive life, not without heartache along the trail, but always with dignity and grace. She loved unreservedly, and her memory will linger in the lives of those she touched.

The family requests that instead of flowers, a donation might be considered in Esther's name to First Presbyterian Memorial Fund, the Fairbanks Community Food Bank or the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra.

Published in Daily News-Miner on July 25, 2012

Posted by Anne Weaver - Wednesday, 07/25/12, 11:55 AM -