It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Esther Lucretia Matson Toomer, beloved wife, sister, aunt and friend of Magrath, Alberta, on Thursday, December 30, 2010 at the age of 93 years.

Esther was born September 10, 1917 at Grass Range, Montana, USA, the daughter of Roy and Clara Matson. She was the youngest of six children. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Floyd Toomer and three brothers, Robert, Dick, and Clarence and sisters, Vilda Matson and Verda Metcalfe. She is also survived by many dear nieces, nephews and friends.
Esther's father, originally from Spring Coulee, returned to Canada with his family when Esther was only four or five years old. They moved south-west of Magrath to the Bradshaw Rosedale farm. Esther attended the La Prairie School, a one room school house for elementary school and she rode on horseback with her friend Francis Blumel to come to Magrath for High School. In the winter she would board in town to be able to attend school. Her father ran a threshing crew and Esther helped him with a ""cook car"" a little building on wheels with a stove and table that was pulled behind a tractor.

However, school didn't last very long because when she was fifteen her brother Dick was diagnosed with polio. As a teen Esther quit school to help her mother take care of Dick.

At the age of twenty she retuned to Garbutt Business School for a year getting an education in typing and book keeping and then moved to Edmonton to work for the Provincial Government in the Lands and Mines Department.

In 1939 she returned to Magrath and married Floyd Toomer and they spent the rest of their lives being totally devoted to one another. During her married years she worked for the Magrath Trading Company editing the Magrath Store News. She also worked for the Bank of Montreal, retiring after 25 years. She was proud to be a life member of the Hospital Auxiliary for fifty-two years. She was a devoted and faithful member of the United Church and served on the Official Board and Executive of the U.C.W. She was past Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star (the Maple Leaf Chapter). She served on the executive of the Magrath Curling Club and Golf Club. She and Floyd loved golfing, dancing and curling, spending many leisure hours together.

Esther developed many strong and important friendships throughout her life. She was a caring, optimistic, person with an open heart and had a wonderful way of building positive relationships with all who knew her. She treasured her independence but when she lost that and her health declined she moved into the Diamond Willow Terrace and then The Good Samaritan Society Health Centre. She was greatly supported by her extended family and many caring friends and caregivers.

Esther believed the way to have a good life was to have good friends, a good outlook and to be grateful. ""I've had a good life,"" said Esther, ""Some times were hard, but that is how life is.""

Family and friends may pay their respects from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at MARTIN BROS. RIVERVIEW CHAPEL, 610 4th Street South, Lethbridge.

A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 at the Magrath United Church, with Reverend George Takashima, officiating.

Interment will follow at Magrath Cemetery.

In memory of Esther and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Magrath United Church Memorial Fund, PO Box 351, Magrath, AB, T0K 0J0, or the Magrath Handibus Association, Box 567, Magrath, AB T0K 0J0.