Esther Shenefelt Paul
Esther Shenefelt Paul, 89, passed away
on May 27, 2011 , of natural causes.
Born in Eureka on Aug. 8, 1921, to
Francis Shenefelt and Eva Baillargon Shenefelt, she grew up in
Eureka and the surrounding area. She attended area rural schools
and Eureka High School.
On March 23, 1940, she was married to
R. Clyde Paul of Whitefish and moved there to live. During the
World War II, Esther and Clyde lived in Portland, Ore. She worked
in the Kaiser Ship Yard as the only woman on an 18 man welder crew
welding the outside shell of liberty ships, which were used to
transport troops and war supplies.
After the war, they lived in Eureka and
Half Moon before returning to Whitefish in early 1949.
Esther started her 37-year nursing
career in Whitefish in 1949. She worked for five years at the John
B. Simons Hospital, and 32 years in the clinics of several
different medical practices in Whitefish. Several generations of
Whitefish area residents will have fond memories of Esther’s loving
nursing care.
Surviving Esther are two children,
Chrystal Paul Higgins of Whitefish and Richard S. Paul of
Fairfield, Conn.; four grandchildren, Kelli Higgins-Jones of
Whitefish, Shandi Higgins of Columbia Falls, Christopher Paul of
Darien, Conn., Matthew Paul of Westport, Conn.; and nine
great-grandchildren.
Honoring the wishes of Esther, there
will be no memorial service. A private burial will take place at
the cemetery in Eureka. Any memorials to the life of Esther should
be made to a charity chosen by the giver.