Interesting Facts about Esther

1. Born on a cold January night on a farm outside of Havelock, Iowa….the doctor froze his hands and feet coming to the farm house.
2. Rode a school bus pulled by horses and was in an accident once when the bus skidded around a corner and tipped over. Esther was not hurt.
3. Sometimes had to walk home from school—a distance of 2 ½ miles
4. Got her high school diploma - special in those days - roomed in town from age 13 and up to complete her education
5. Received her teaching certificate and was a teacher in a one-room country school house
6. Helped her father and mother buy another farm after losing their first farm during the Great Depression by borrowing them money she had saved as a teacher at a one-room school house
7. Met her future husband at a Christmas program at a one-room country school house when Tom’s mother introduced them
8. Attended the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1933 and 1934
9. A hired man lived with them the first fifteen years of marriage
10. Was a star in the centennial pageant in Jackson in 1956
11. Went to a World Series game with Dad - Dodgers beat Twins - Oct. 14,1965
12. Got first television in Dec. 1956, first color TV in 1968
13. Got air conditioning in the house in July 1970
14. Bought her first pair of slacks (pant suit) in fall of 1970
15. Took pictures of the family standing in the corn field every 4th of July - to measure the growth of the corn and kids!
16. Traveled to the following countries: Canada, Mexico, Norway, Denmark, England, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Tahiti, New Zealand, Antarctica,Australia, Fiji Islands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria
17. Flew in an airplane over BOTH the north and south poles
18. Was the family historian. Kept a daily record book. Took lots of photographs of the family to record life as it was then….(was behind the camera, so missed being on lots of the photographs) Wrote 4 family history books (genealogy) - Hansen, Olson, Ringkob, Rawle
19. Drove her car until she was 90 years old.
20. In and out of the nursing home 5 times…not many people can achieve that accomplishment.
21. Has always had a green thumb - growing flowers, gardening, house plants. She still has several blooming African violets at the age of 98 1/2 years.