Esther Dean Ehlert

Esther Dean Ehlert passed away on Wednesday, December 6, after a bout with terminal brain cancer. She went peacefully in her daughter's home with her family by her side. Esther Dean was born on October 18, 1940, in Williamsburg to Walter and Esther Marshall, Jr. She grew up with her two brothers on the family homestead in Croaker. Her family were members of Smith Memorial Baptist Church, where the entire family was baptized together. Esther Dean graduated from James Blair High School in 1959. She was married to Robert (Bob) Irl Pillow in 1959, and they had two children. Esther Dean was proud to be a military wife and loved living in Germany and relocating throughout the United States. She loved the beach and as a child, she lived in Key West for a short while and later had a small weekend home in the Outer Banks. After her children were grown and settled, Esther Dean pursued her lifelong dream and became a Registered Nurse. For most of her twenty-two-year career as a nurse, she worked at Williamsburg Community Hospital in the ICU. Esther Dean loved being a nurse, and she loved caring for people. Esther Dean was married to Warren Joseph Ehlert in 1999, and they were married for twenty-three years. Together they made their home in Lanexa. They enjoyed travelling and spending time with their large family and beloved friends. Esther Dean was a woman of many talents. She was a pianist and played at the various churches as the family moved around with the Army. She was an avid gardener and loved being outdoors. Esther Dean sewed and did crafts her entire life, and she took up quilting later in life. Her greatest talent was that as a master Quilter. Every newborn grandchild and great-grandchild was blessed with a special hand-quilted blanket. The quilted items Esther Dean made reflected her beauty and love. Esther Dean's final days exemplified the grace and beauty with which she had lived her entire life. She was a woman of deep faith in the Lord, and was a member of James River Baptist Church. In her final months, she was able to spend precious time with her aunt Jane, her sister-in-law Alma, her many cousins, and family. Several luncheons were hosted in her honor with dear friends and her James Blair classmates, many of whom she knew her entire life. Her family toasted her on her birthday by throwing her a special party. Esther Dean is preceded in death by her parents, Walter N. Marshall, Jr, and Esther; her brothers, William (Billy) and Walter (Bubby); and her husband, Warren J. Ehlert. She is survived by her daughter, Onna Lisa Williams; her son, Jeffrey David Pillow and his wife, Merle; her granddaughters, Jessica Pillow and husband Domenic, and Jennifer Ferguson and husband Beau, and her great grand-daughters, Ashlynn and Brelynn Ferguson. She was much loved and will be missed by all. A visitation for Esther will be held Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Rd., Williamsburg, Virginia 23188, followed by a service at 12:00 PM. The family will hold a graveside interment of her ashes at the family plot in Cedar Grove Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Esther Dean would have appreciated a donation to your favorite charity or to one her favorite charities: St. Jude Children's Fund and the Wounded Warrior Project. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.NelsenWilliamsburg.com.