Esther Fry Henry

Esther Fry (Brimley) Henry, aged 93, passed peacefully away at her home in Pocatello, Idaho on November 15, 2015, after suffering a debilitating stroke in late August of this year. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 2:00 pm at the LDS church at 1440 Lakeview Drive, in Pocatello, Idaho 83201. Viewing will be from noon until 2:00 pm at the church before the service. There will be a graveside service at the Thompson Cemetery in Hillsdale, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, November 24, at 1:00 pm. Esther was born on January 13, 1922 at Devils Slide, Morgan County, Utah. She was the fifth child born to Ernest Dalton Brimley and Ada Emily Fry. She grew up in and around Morgan, Utah amidst lots of family and lots of love. She lost her father to a sudden illness when she was only 11 years old. This left her mother to raise a young family with virtually no income. Her mother sewed almost all her clothes, which consisted of an annual new, homemade dress for Fourth of July and another at Christmas. Esther has several bouts with severe infections as a child but the only medical remedy within reach of her mother was a mush poultice. Despite all of the hardships of her young life, Esther developed into a beautiful, vibrant, talented, independent young woman. She was ambitious and worked hard from the time she was very young to provide for herself. Esther met the love of her life, Alvin Henry, when he was a soldier stationed in Morgan to guard the railroad tunnels during WW2. The servicemen were invited to the LDS Churchs annual "Gold and Green" ball. Esther came in wearing a white blouse and a red skirt. Alvin looked across the dance floor and declared, "Thats my future wife!" They later married while he was still in the army. Alvin was stationed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and then in Texas. He completed his military service shortly after the birth of their first child, Jim. Alvin and Esther planned a visit to Cherry Tree, PA to see Alvins family. After the visit they planned to return to California where Alvin would return to work for his pre-war employer, Warner Brothers Studios in their publicity department. Alvins father, John, was very sick. It became apparent during their visit that his parents needed him to stay and assist them. Alvin got a job working for the railroad. Several years later, Esther and Alvin opened a restaurant called Henrys Lunch Bar where they served the community, supplemented Alvins income, and taught all of their children to work. Family has been the focus of Esthers life. She and Alvin raised seven children, James, Thomas, Jon, William, Julie (Harding), Richard, and Mary Lynne (Brown). She is survived by her family legacy of six children and their spouses, 47 grandchildren and their spouses, and 88 great-grandchildren. She is loved and admired by them all. Alvin passed away in 1998 after a 10-year bout with cancer. His decline and passing were filled with sweetness and love. Esther relocated to Pocatello, Idaho a few years later to live near her daughter, Julie. She developed wonderful friendships and relationships in Pocatello. It has been a wonderful place for her final years. Esther read a poem in her sixties called Warning (also identified by its first line, "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple") that got her thinking that she should curtail her concern with trying to hold her tongue. As she grew older, she became much more frank, honest, and forthright in her communication. Some might call it harsh but it was never meant to be cruel or mean-spirited. She was a model of honest, candid speech and not "pussyfooting around". You could count on her to give you her unvarnished opinion (whether you wanted it or not). Some may have been offended but most learned to recognize the deep well of wisdom and love from whence her utterances flowed. Esther was a planner and a doer, always needing a project. She crocheted for many years. Many of her children and grandchildren have afghans that she made. She was also a prolific quilter. She has well over 150 people (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, spouses) that she called her family and she was determined that every one of them should have a quilt that she made with her own hands. In her 80s she undertook to redecorate her home to make sure it didnt look like some "old woman" lived there. In her 90s she decided to become a painter. The canvas that she painted is a treasure. She was a kind, happy, creative, funny, loving, and sensitive woman who touched the hearts of all with whom she came in contact. Esther lived through many significant trials and difficulties in her life. Her father died suddenly when she was eleven. She grew up with very few possessions. She left all that was familiar and relocated to Pennsylvania. She nursed both her husbands parents through their end-of-life struggles over the course of 10 years. Her son, Jon, died in a tragic accident at the age of 16. Her home and all her belongings burned down eight months later. She broke her hip a little over a year ago and recovered from that. She suffered a severe stroke in August. Throughout all of these trials, she has been a happy ray of sunshine to those around her. Her faith and trust in the Lord and the gospel of Jesus Christ have sustained and comforted her throughout her life. Her sense of humor and love of life, friends, church, and family were and will continue to be an inspiration to everyone who knew her.

Visitation

11/21/2015 12:00

14:00:00

LDS Church Corner of Siphon & Philbin Rd.

13979 W. Siphon Rd

pocatello

Idaho

83202



Funeral Service

11/21/2015 14:00



LDS Lakeview Drive Church

1440 Lakeview Drive

Pocatello

Idaho

83201