Esther Kauffman

Esther Kauffman, age 85, passed away Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006, at Brendan House in Kalispell. She was born Esther Borntrager, the daughter of Glen Joseph and Cora May (Chupp) Borntrager on Feb. 13, 1920, in rural Dawson County, Mont., near Bloomfield.

She was baptized upon confession of faith at Red Top Mennonite Church in 1933 by Isaac Mast, and on Nov. 8, 1946 was received into membership at Mountain View Mennonite Church in Creston, Mont., where she remained a life-long member.

She was a 1940 graduate of Dawson County High School. As a young woman she lived a year in Oregon where she worked at various jobs, mainly as a housekeeper or maid.

On May 31, 1943, she was married to Paul S. Kauffman at Red Top Mennonite Church in Bloomfield, Mont., with Bishop J M Kreider officiating. They lived in the Bloomfield area, and in Glendive, Mont., in the first years of their marriage where she worked variously in a laundry and taught school for most of a year.

In 1946 she moved to Creston with her husband and lived out her life as a faithful wife and companion. As the mother of seven growing children her life was full of homemaking, and her assistance as go-getter, bookkeeper, and general helper in both logging and farming were indispensable.

Her sweet Christian spirit, her depth of spirituality, and her commitment to Christ were appreciated by all. She was a good musician, appreciated in her church and home. Esther could sight read music and learn a tune without needing to resort to the piano.

The alto section in church choral groups leaned on her accuracy, and for a number of years she enjoyed singing in the Sweet Adelines. She also assisted her husband when he edited Valley Overtones, the bulletin of the Flathead Valleyaires Barbershop Chorus. Twice she received the Phantom Quartet Award from this chapter, and her cinnamon rolls were a favorite with all members at chapter picnics.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three daughters, Eileen, Arlene and Rebecca Ann; two sisters, Lillie Greiman and Lena Boese; three brothers, Floyd Borntrager, Elmer Borntrager, and Oscar Borntrager.

Esther is survived by her husband, Paul S. Kauffman; three sons, Daniel D Kauffman and wife Debbie, Kenneth G. Kauffman and wife Frieda, Stephen G. Kauffman and wife Ginger, all of Kalispell; three daughters, E Elaine Kauffman of Mountain Lake, Minn., Brenda M Younger and husband Steven of Stratton, Colo., Alice L Arneson and husband Richard of Bothell, Wash.; 14 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a brother, Mahlon Borntrager of Glendive, Mont.; 2 sisters-in-law, Effie Borntrager of Glendive, Mont., Violetta Borntrager of Mobile, Ala.; numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral services for Esther Kauffman will be held Friday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m., at the Mountain View Mennonite Church in Creston, with burial to follow at Fairview Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 2-6 p.m., at Johnson Mortuary Chapel.

Johnson Mortuary & Crematory is caring for Esther's family.