Esther Young

Esther S. Young

Esther Madeline Sorensen was born in a sod house in Bison, South Dakota on December 26, 1912. Her parents were Salina Olson of Norway and Carl Sorensen of Denmark. Her family then settled in Clementsville, ND, near Spiritwood. Her dad was a blacksmith. She had an older brother, Alex, a younger sister, Ruth, and a little brother, John. She worked for her room and board while attending Jamestown High School. After graduation, she worked at the Nankin & Igloo Cafes to earn money to attend nursing school. She went through nurses training at Trinity Hospital School of Nursing in Jamestown and became an RN in 1935. She worked at Jamestown Hospital when the building was newly constructed.

Esther married Eugene John Young of Jamestown in Abilene, Texas on August 22, 1942. When Gene left Texas for Army training in preparation for the Normandy invasion, Esther returned to Jamestown. During the war she trained Red Cross volunteers. When Gene returned from World War II, he began working for White Drug where he became the corporate buyer. Gene died in 1988.

Esther remained in their home until 2006 when she entered Ave Maria Village, where she died June 30, 2009 at age 96 1/2. She received loving care at Ave Maria Village by both the staff and Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Esther and Gene's youngest daughter, Christine Ruth, died in 2006 and Chris' husband, Tom Christopherson died in 2003.

Esther is survived by her daughter, Patricia Ann Young, of Fargo, ND; grandchildren, Anne Christine Schuette, Robin Katherine Schuette and husband Richard Tudor, Scott Eugene Schuette, and their father, Robert A. Schuette, all Minneapolis, MN; her sister, Ruth E. Vetter, Fargo; sister-in-law, Beth Sorensen, Amery, WI; and dear friends, Shirley Sanders, Des Moines, IA and Ruth Barkus, Jamestown.

Instead of flowers, memorials to the donor's choice are preferred.

A celebration of Esther's life will be held Tuesday, July 7, at noon, at United Presbyterian Church in Jamestown.

Arrangements with Eddy Funeral Home in Jamestown.

On line guestbook: www.eddyfuneralhome.com