Andrew Ellis Esther

Andrew Ellis Esther of Springfield, Missouri, expired at his home on June 13, 2025, after 99 ½ years of life.
Andrew was born December 9, 1925, on a farm near Sleeper, Missouri, to Agnes Maple Collins Esther and John Alexander Esther. He had an older sister Irene and a younger brother John, who was born just after the death of his father in 1930. Andrew attended Goodwin School, a one-room schoolhouse in Laclede County, near the Esther Branch of the Dry Glaize. He remembered his family driving to Springfield for Christmas shopping and community sings at the Shrine Mosque before cars had heaters. He graduated from Stoutland High School where he won awards in mathematics and learned to play musical instruments. After high school, he served in the Navy from September 1944 until April 1946. He trained to be an aviation ordnance man and was awaiting his orders to join the war in the Pacific when WWII ended.
After the war, Andrew earned a degree in agriculture from the University of Missouri, and began working as a county extension agent in Lynn, Missouri, in September 1949. On Valentine's Day 1950, a new secretary to the county agent, Madeline Johanna Polst, met her boss when she took him the telegram announcing the birth of his niece Gretta. Andrew and Madeline were married December 23, 1950. As a member of the Naval Reserves, Andrew was recalled to active duty in February 1951 to serve in the Korean War. He and Madeline moved to Olathe, Kansas, for training, and then to Alameda, California, where he was stationed at the naval base. Their son Curtis John was born in Alameda on September 24, 1951. Andrew received an honorable discharge in March, 1952, and they moved back to Laclede County, Missouri.
After determining that restarting the family farm would be too expensive, Andrew took an office job at Fort Leonard Wood. One of his friends in his carpool failed the test to become a highway patrol officer because he was colorblind. Andrew teased him so much about failing that test that the friend bet him he couldn't pass it either. Andrew took the test to win the bet, passed the test, and began his life's career as an officer in the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He and Madeline moved to Jefferson City, where his training took place during the prison riots. After being briefly stationed in Carthage, he was transferred to Buffalo, Missouri, in December 1955. Their daughter Carol Jean was born soon after. In 1968, Andrew was transferred to Nevada, Missouri, and promoted to zone sergeant. He served during the riots in Kansas City and Jefferson City. In 1973, Andrew transferred to Springfield, Missouri, to serve as a desk sergeant at the Troop D headquarters. He retired from the patrol on December 31, 1985.
What Andrew loved most about being a patrolman was helping other people. He knew how to make basic fixes to cars, and always stopped to help motorists whose cars had broken down whether or not he was on duty. He helped people at traffic accident scenes and did his best to keep the highways safe for everyone. He would often get called out in the middle of the night to transfer donated blood to hospitals where it was needed. He donated many gallons of blood himself over the years, going in to donate every time he was eligible to do so. When the winter weather was the worst, he would usually get calls to attend accidents, and he provided security to areas that were hit by tornadoes. He provided traffic control at the state fair and at Silver Dollar City on the 4th of July and other holidays.
Andrew and Madeline began square dancing in the 50's in Springfield and enjoyed dancing throughout their lives together. They developed an interest in round dancing, and after retiring, Andrew became a round dance caller. They performed exhibition dances at national square dance festivals and had an active round dance club The Twirl-arounds in Springfield for many years. They also enjoyed advanced level square dancing.
They were heartbroken when their son Curtis passed away August 27, 1989, in Oklahoma City. But they were overjoyed when their grandsons Mac and James were born in 1990 and 1993. They played a large role in the boys' lives and attended their school performances and sporting events. Andrew especially enjoyed scouting activities with the boys.
Andrew and Madeline enjoyed traveling all over North America and Europe throughout their 53 years together. After Madeline passed away February 9, 2004, Andrew stayed active in dancing and in the lives of his grandchildren. He continued to travel widely, including trips around the U.S. in his van and cruises to Panama and Alaska. There were also a number of family vacations, including trips to Nova Scotia, Aruba, San Antonio, and the Rocky Mountains, as well as fishing and floating trips in southern Missouri.
Andrew loved to visit historical sites, especially the Lewis and Clark exploration camps. His ancestors included relatives of Sam Houston, Meriwether Lewis, President Buchanan, the South Union Shaker village in Kentucky, and the founders of Stonington, Connecticut, in the 1600s.
Throughout his life, he was interested in fixing things and building things, including a trailer, several tool sheds and dog houses, a playhouse, and cabinets and bookcases. He designed and created many stained-glass windows and lamps.
He had an active social life with many close friends. He maintained his home until May 2017, when he was 92. He lived at the Terra Vera apartments briefly and then moved to the Cambridge Senior Living retirement community. He continued going to community dances until Covid. After Covid, he enjoyed the many daily events at the Cambridge. He loved socializing there, and his favorite events recently included musical events, happy hours, bingo games and poker nights.
Andrew frequently won card games and dominos at the family gatherings every Sunday. He always had a song in his heart, and frequently sang and whistled and tapped tunes on his water glass or the table top. He made a great train whistle sound with his hands and mouth. He sang in church choirs and loved to harmonize. He was the life of the party. Wherever he went he brought joy. If there was music, he would get someone to dance with him.
His most recent delight was when his great-granddaughter Maddie was born January 4, 2025. Andrew and Maddie are the "25 club" since he was born in 1925 and she was born in 2025. He lived fully every day of his 99 ½ years.
Andrew was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Madeline, his sister Irene, his brother John, and his son Curtis.
He is survived by his daughter Carol Browning and her husband Peter Browning of Springfield; his grandsons and their wives Mac Collins and Yenmi Tang of Houston, Texas, and James and Ashley Collins of Republic, Missouri; his great-granddaughter Madeline Collins of Republic, Missouri; and his niece and her husband Gretta and Paul Geissinger of Lottsburg, Virginia.
Services to celebrate Andrew's century of life will be held on Friday, June 20, 2025, at 10 a.m., Klingner-Cope funeral home at Rivermonte Cemetery, with visitation on Thursday the 19th from 5 to 7 pm. He will be buried in the Rivermonte Cemetery next to his beloved wife Madeline.
The family wishes to thank everyone who shared in Andrew's joy of life, especially his friends at the Cambridge and Dr. Shelby Smith.
To send a flower arrangement in memory of
Andrew Ellis Esther, please click here to visit our sympathy store.