Esther C. Howe

Esther C. Howe

June 3, 1940 - December 6, 2024

Esther C. Howe, daughter of Sidney Colburn and Grace M. Clements, died on December 6, 2024, at Beehive Homes in Yuma, AZ. She was 84 years old and an extraordinary woman.

Esther was born in Boston, Massachusetts on June 3, 1940. She graduated from Needham (Mass) High School in 1957. She met the love of her life, Jim, at the University of Vermont while pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. She received a Bachelor's degree in nursing and education in 1961. She then worked with the refugee population in Germany from 1961-62.

On June 22, 1963, Jim and Esther married in Massachusetts. In July 1964, the happy couple moved to Chandler, AZ, and shortly thereafter moved to Yuma, AZ. In 1969, Esther began teaching nursing at Arizona Western College. She received her Master's degree in education from Pepperdine University in CA in 1974. Over a decade later, Esther obtained her Master's in nursing from the University of Arizona. She was chairman of the division of nursing and home economics at AWC in 1978. She was responsible for both the practical and registered nursing programs, a child development center, a home economics program, and emergency medical service programs in Parker and Yuma.

She was a president (1984-86) and member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary sorority for women educators, and president of the Junior Women's Club and Arizona Associate Degree Council. She was also a member of the National League of Nursing. Esther was a nurse and educator in various arenas for her entire life and retired in May, 1998.

Esther's hobbies and interests include sailing when she was younger, visiting the ocean, skiing, and spending time with family and close friends. She was an incredible woman, wife, mother, friend, grandmother, and great-grandmother and will be missed dearly.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, Sidney and Grace; her husband, Jim; her daughter, Gail, and her brother, Bill. She is survived by her daughter, Tanya; granddaughter, Brianna (Edgardo), and great-granddaughters, Mila and Ava.

A memorial service will be held at Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church, 150 W 28th St, on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 2:00 pm. Following the service, a reception will be held in the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Compassus (Yuma), Phoenix Children's, and Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church (Yuma).

Please sign the guestbook online at www.yumasun.com/obituaries.