Esther Allison Rice Allison, 89, of Milford, Michigan, passed away Monday, December 18, 2023, after one night in the emergency room.
Esther was born in Bellefontaine on September 16, 1934, to the late Charles and Edith Shoots Rice. She was the ninth of ten children. She was preceded in death by siblings Ralph, Glenn, Paul, John, Lois Ann, Ruth, Mary, and Miriam. Robert (Charlie) of South Carolina is the last surviving sibling.
Growing up during the depression was hard. Her father passed away when she was in second grade so hunger was a theme of many of her stories from childhood. She was an excellent student, but with a mother as a schoolteacher that probably wasn’t an option. When she could find paper she loved to draw. She recycled before people knew what it was as she drew pictures on the margins of envelopes from mail that her mother received. Art and sports were her favorite things. She played baseball with the neighborhood kids and was known to be the pitcher for her team.
After graduating from Bellefontaine High School, she married John Shultz in 1952 and the Navy promptly sent him to Korea. Upon his return he enrolled at Ohio State University and they set up housekeeping in Columbus. After graduating he began a career that included many moves back and forth across the Midwest and landed them in Michigan where she stayed after their divorce.
Esther worked in the banking and investment industry until her retirement. She received dozens of cards, letters, and gifts every Christmas from her sales crew and even more when she retired.
She was truly loved and respected. Esther lived on her own until Covid when she then moved in with her son Doug who cared for her for the last three years.
She loved playing cards, especially poker with the kids and grandkids. She played euchre and bridge in a league for many years and shared stories with her sisters about how she beat the men. Their laughter at her stories always made her happy. She was the ‘sweet’ baby sister, but that innocent looking girl was smart and she had a backbone. “She was one of a kind” to quote a friend. She loved animals and rescued many over the years providing vet care and surgeries to all in need.
She is survived by her children, Joan (Joseph Urbanek) Castro (Huntersville, NC), Sharon (Joey Aranda) Shultz (Northville, MI), and Douglas Shultz (Milford, MI ); grandchildren Juan Castro (Chicago, IL), Christina Castro (Atlanta, GA), Christine Aranda, Kimberly Aranda, and Katie Aranda, all of Northville, MI.
Per Esther’s wishes she will be cremated. A celebration of life will be conducted later in Bellefontaine probably in the spring.
Memorial contributions can be made to Humane Society of Huron Valley, 3100 Cherry Hill Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, or First Christian Church, 215 E. Sandusky Ave., Bellefontaine, OH, in her honor.
