Esther Virginia Boswell Eastley passed away peacefully in Sacramento on Memorial Day, May 28, 2007, at the age of 98 after a short bout with pneumonia. Born May21, 1909, in Sturgis, S.D., to parents Stephen and Jennie Boswell, she was most proud of her early years in the Black Hills of her native state. With a sharp memory of the distant past, Esther well remembers seeing the wild west character “Poker Alice” numerous times in Sturgis, where the latter made her home after a colorful career of dealing poker, bootlegging, and running a house of ill repute in nearby Deadwood and Sturgis.
The Boswell family ultimately moved to nearby Lead, where the major employer was the Homestake Gold Mine, the largest in North America for many years. Esther graduated from Lead High School where she was the only girl in the jazz orchestra. But it was at Fort Meade near Sturgis where Esther”s future husband, Einar Eastley, was stationed with the Fourth Cavalry. And thus began a lifestyle she so cherished — the wife of a career army man, raising a family on the run across the U.S. and halfway around the world. The two-and-a-half years in Weilburg and Frankfurt, Germany, during the occupation after World War II and two years in Yokohama, Japan, were outstanding highlights of her military life, especially the lifelong friendships that were established from the various duty stations here and abroad. Nevertheless, California soon became her adopted state after living in Los Angeles and Riverside for a period of time in the 1930s. And after leaving Yokohama in 1954, Sacrament became home for the next 53 years. It was a good fit.
As health issues became more acute in the last few years, care and attention had to be stepped up. Special thanks to a special neighbor, Frances Moreno, for performing a number of necessary daily services. To Sasha, who dedicated all her spare time on a daily basis to her beloved mother-in-law. To Peggy Stafford, in-home care provider and longtime friend. And to longtime friend Marian Scalora, whose daily calls kept her spirits up.
Preceded in death by her husband Einar Eastley, daughter Barbara Eastley Winn, sisters Florence Boswell Pierce and Ruby White, and grandson Michael Sean Eastley. Survived by sons Douglas (Rose) Eastley of Lucerne, Calif.; Bruce (Sasha) Eastley of Sacramento, and Dennis Eastley of Sacramento. Also survived by grandchildren Kevin Eastley, Jennifer Winn Ishima, and Jessica Winn Stratton, five grteat-grandchildren, 10 nephews and nieces, and several cousins.
At her request, no services were conducted. Internment at The Presidio of San Francisco.
Esther was an absolute animal lover. Please make any donations to the Sacrament SPCA, 6201 Florin-Perkins Road, Sacramento, CA 95828, or to an animal organization of your choice.
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(Published in the Record-Bee on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007.)
