Esther Frances Wells was born December 16, 1936, and passed away April 28, 2025. Esther grew up in Hamilton, Illinois, a rural town on the eastern Illinois border just across the Missouri river from Keokuk, Iowa. Esther was the only daughter of Doris & John Wells in a household that also included four brothers (Jack, Dick, Bob & Pete).
Esther attended Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, majoring in sacred music. Esther was the President of the Southwestern College Symphony Orchestra where she played Oboe, Flute and Piano. Esther was a soprano in the Southwestern College Choir.
After graduation, Esther married and moved to Huron South Dakota, starting a family in 1962 with the birth of her first son Preston. These early years of music teaching, giving recitals, playing in the orchestra and singing in a church choir were probably the happiest time in Esther’s life. Esther’s son John arrived in January 1965. Daughter Yolanda (Lonnie) joined the family in January 1969.
Esther’s work as a church musician expanded from playing the organ to serving as the director of adult and youth choirs for the American Lutheran Church in Huron, South Dakota. In 1975, Esther produced and directed a production of the operetta Amahl and the Night Visitors, with her son John in the title role and other members of the church choirs completing the cast and chorus.
In the summer of 1977, Esther and her children moved to Dallas, Texas, where Esther enrolled in Southern Methodist University to secure a Master’s Degree in Sacred Music. Esther subsequently decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Religious Studies.
In the summer of 1980, Esther and her daughter Lonnie moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico where Esther served for 3 years as the paster of the El Calvario United Methodist Church.
In 2001, Esther’s son Preston was diagnosed with brain cancer. Esther moved to Mount Vernon, Iowa to serve as Preston’s primary caretaker as he struggled to recover from this life-threatening disease.
In 2007, Esther joined her son Preston in Portsmouth, Ohio, where Preston continues to serve as a Professor of Mathematics at Shawnee State University.
In Portsmouth, Esther became an ambitious backyard gardener, producing organic vegetables for herself and for Preston. She was also a gardening teacher to a succession of bright and energetic young people who worked as her gardening assistants.
Student. Teacher. Choir Director. Organist. Pastor. Gardener. In her 88 years, Esther did her best to learn, to teach, to serve, to nurture, to create.
Daughter. Sister. Mother. Grandmother. Caretaker. In her 88 years, Esther did her best to support her family as she cycled through the roles in her own unique cycle of life.
Personal. Professional. Spiritual. In her 88 years, Esther was continually searching for purpose, searching for truth, searching for meaning, searching for peace.
Esther is survived by her brother, Robert Wells; her sons, Preston Nichols and John Nichols; her daughter Yolanda (Lonnie) Boyd; grandchildren: Joey Lee, Nathaniel Lee, William Nichols, and Spenser Nichols; and great grandchildren: Kiara Lee and Bayden Lee.
A Gathering to Celebrate Esther’s beautiful life will be held on Wednesday May 28, 2025 from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM with a small service immediately following. All at FC Daehler Mortuary, 915 Ninth Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662.
Please visit www.fcdaehlermortuary.com to leave a special memory of Esther or condolences for her family.
