Esther Lucille Rooney, 19242010 (aged 85 years)

Name
Esther Lucille /Rooney/
Given names
Esther Lucille
Surname
Rooney
Birth
Birth of a sister
Birth of a brother
Death of a brother
Birth of a sister
Birth of a sister
Birth of a son
Death of a father
Burial of a father
Death of a sister
Death of a brother
Death of a mother
Burial of a mother
Death of a half-sister
Death of a brother
Burial of a brother
Death of a sister
Death of a sister
Death of a son
Burial of a son
Death of a sister
Death
Family with parents
father
18771953
Birth: October 28, 1877 32 33 Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minnesota
Death: August 26, 1953Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, Montana
mother
Marriage MarriageApril 20, 1910Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana
3 years
elder sister
19122004
Birth: December 30, 1912 35 23 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: August 25, 2004Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, Montana
2 years
elder brother
19151986
Birth: January 5, 1915 37 25 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: February 8, 1986Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, Montana
16 months
elder sister
19162009
Birth: May 5, 1916 38 27 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: December 15, 2009Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
2 years
elder sister
19182006
Birth: June 16, 1918 40 29 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: February 13, 2006Puyallup, Pierce County, Washington
2 years
elder sister
19202013
Birth: July 11, 1920 42 31 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: November 1, 2013Reno, Washoe County, Nevada
2 years
elder brother
19221974
Birth: August 31, 1922 44 33 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: August 1, 1974Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
2 years
herself
19242010
Birth: October 18, 1924 46 35 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: April 22, 2010Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
2 years
younger sister
19271960
Birth: February 4, 1927 49 37 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: 1960Rossfork, Fergus County, Montana
2 years
younger brother
19291930
Birth: January 24, 1929 51 39 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: June 11, 1930Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana
3 years
younger sister
19312017
Birth: July 9, 1931 53 42 Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
Death: after 2017
4 years
younger sister
19342012
Birth: December 15, 1934 57 45 Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana
Death: after 2012
Father’s family with Kathleen May Hughes
father
18771953
Birth: October 28, 1877 32 33 Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minnesota
Death: August 26, 1953Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, Montana
stepmother
18791907
Birth: December 20, 1879Dublin, Ireland
Death: November 24, 1907Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
half-sister
19051981
Birth: May 15, 1905 27 25 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Death: March 19, 1981Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana
half-sibling
Private
Family with Alton Daniel Parker
husband
19212018
Birth: December 18, 1921Mexia, Limestone County, Texas
Death: June 8, 2018Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
herself
19242010
Birth: October 18, 1924 46 35 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Death: April 22, 2010Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
son
19442006
Birth: September 10, 1944 22 19 Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
Death: October 20, 2006Laramie, Albany County, Wyoming
daughter
Private
son
Private
Shared note

1400 2nd Ave. N.W., Great Falls, MT 59404

Esther L. (Rooney) Parker, 85, of Great Falls, died Thursday of natural causes at a local hospital.

A vigil memorial is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Funeral Mass is 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph's, with burial to follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at Croxford Funeral Home.

Esther was born October 18, 1924 in Hobson, Montana. to Frank and Mary Rooney. She grew up on the family ranch with her 12 brothers and sisters in the Ross Fork area, and graduated valedictorian from Moore High School and attended Northern Montana University.

After leaving college, Esther moved to Great Falls during WWII and worked civil service at East Base Hospital, now known as Malmstrom Air Force Base. It was while working at East Base that she met Army Air Corpsman medic Al Parker. They married on Dec. 1, 1943, in Great Falls.

She moved to Fresno, California while Al was in the military. After being discharged, she moved to Al's hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, for a year. Montana called them home to Lewistown, then to her longtime home of Great Falls in 1947. They moved to the West Side, where she raised their three children, Gary, Karen and Pat.

After Al suffered a serious accident in 1961, Esther returned to work at First National Bank and then at Great Falls High School as a records clerk, where she retired. Gary graduated as a GFHS Bison, but Karen and Pat both graduated as C.M. Russell Rustlers; she loved to harass them by decorating the house with Bison blue and white memorabilia.

Esther was an avid reader, worked crossword puzzles, and was a very avid sports enthusiast, especially watching the Braves, and cheering on her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren playing baseball, softball or whatever event they were participating in. She was known for always having the best fresh-baked cookies, and at anyone's request would bake their favorites. At family reunions she always received the award for best cookie baker.

For 47 years she was a bowling fanatic. At one time, she bowled on three leagues a week and was still always available to substitute bowl at the drop of a phone call.

She was extremely proud of her Irish heritage, and a highlight was when she and Karen made a memorable trip to Ireland in 1991.

She was dearly loved by all of her family and was the happiest at family gatherings; she was always hospitable and her home was always open to everyone. She was a gentle, kind and classy person who was loved and will be missed by her family and all who knew her.

Survivors include her husband of 66 years, Al Parker; daughter, Karen (Dan) Griffin; son, Pat (Becky) Parker; grandchildren, Shad (Holly) Griffin, Shane (Staci) Griffin, Jami Cohen, Mandy (Cliff) Garness, Kelly (Scott) Weinberger, Cody (Sara) Parker, Roni (Mike) Baker and Gerri (John) Campbell; great-grandchildren, Emma Griffin, Hunter and Brooklyn Griffin, Waric and Quinn Cohen, Jake and Kade Garness, Caitlin and Payton Parker, Andee and Adam Baker, and Adessa and Parker Campbell; sisters, Betty (Bob) Saxbury, Mickie (Howard) Stone and Kay (Ed) Lane; and numerous loved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her beloved son, Gary Parker; her granddaughter, Cindy Parker; her parents, Frank and Mary Jane Rooney; her brothers, Frank Rooney, Russell Rooney and George Rooney; and by her sisters, Agatha Funston, Gertrude Lindgren, Vivian Shaw, Bernice Rooney and Ilene Waite.

At the time she passed, she was surrounded by her family who all loved her dearly.

Memorials in her name are suggested to St. Joseph's Catholic Church or charity of donor's choice. Condolences may be posted online at www.croxfordfuneralhome.com and/or www.gftribune.com/obituaries.

Published in Great Falls Tribune on April 25, 2010