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09/28/2003 Archived Entry: "ESTHER KOOTZ KATZENMEIER"

ESTHER KOOTZ KATZENMEIER

There was a lovely, large gathering today at the Lutheran church to honor Esther Katzenmeier on the occasion of her 90th birthday. She just radiated and had on a lovely new, long dress adorned with a pink rose corsage from her family. It was her day and she loved it.

We both recalled, at the same time, an incident when she was babysitting with our kids while we were out of town. Ally was always a challenge. She had climbed Gertie Kunkle's TV tower that soared above her three story house. Shudders still overtake me when I think about it. She was four at the time. Esther begged and threatened her to come down, but the only reply she got from Ally was, "You're not my mother." She finally came down when she was dern ready. That girl never was afraid of heights. Later on she became a licensed lift mechanic (the only woman to be licensed in Colorado) for the ski area in Breckenridge. Now those were towers of dizzying heights to climb and make repairs on. I think she isn't into that any more.

I sat by Karma Aylward who is 95 and doesn't look it. Karma and I go back a long way...we've taken many wonderful trips together, but both of us have slowed down since then. I don't see as much of her as I would like. Karma has had a lot of impact and has left her mark on many projects in Ellsworth.