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Obituary

Esther Knopp Hamel

PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA — Esther Vera Mae Knopp Hamel, 92, of Punta Gorda, Fla., and formerly of St. Ignatius, died on Sunday, Sept. 21, at the Palms of Punta Gorda Retirement Home. She experienced a stroke in May of 2011 and never fully recovered from it.

Esther was born on May 20, 1922, at the family homestead near Circle, Mont., to Frank Knopp and Katherine Malhstedt. Her mother died in 1930 and Frank married Pauline Lofts in 1933. The homestead was lost to draught and the family moved to Pablo and Ronan where Esther graduated from high school.

Esther married Robert J. Hamel of St. Ignatius on March 16, 1941, in Las Vegas. They made their first home in Los Angeles where Robert worked for Vultee Aircraft as a draftsman. After his father’s illness in 1942, they moved back to St. Ignatius, formed Chalimar Farm and began ranching and raising their two children, Kathryn Dee and Dennis Robert.

Esther didn’t receive any higher education but was self-taught in a variety of fields. She received 15 local and national honors and wrote 12 books on various subjects. She was a local and national flower show judge and chairman for over 20 years. She was an accomplished seamstress and made her clothing with hats to match. Esther also loved wigs in every color and style to match her outfits, often confusing people who thought Robert had a new wife.

Robert died on Jan. 20, 1996, the year they would have celebrated 55 years of marriage.

Esther bought a lot in Florida in 1997 and began subdividing the farm to ultimately have her dream house built down the street from adopted son David in Florida.

She enjoyed her Florida home for 13 years until declining health moved her to independent living.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents and stepmother; husband Bob; son Dennis; brothers Glen and Frankie Knopp; sister Thelma Knopp Kelly; and son in-law Bill Kelly.

She is survived by her sisters Joy Knopp DesRasier of Whitehall and Florence Knopp Hayden of Florence; daughter Kay Hamel Kelly of St. Ignatius; adopted son David Alligood; and friend Ray Bailey of Florida.

She also leaves behind grandsons Anthony Hamel; Robb Kelly and wife Shelli and great-grandchildren Wyatt and Madison Kelly of Kent, Wash.; and granddaughter Barbara Kelly Geatches and husband Jeff and great-grandchildren Kelly, Kate and and Andrew of Rathdrum, Idaho.

A celebration of Esther’s life will be held in St. Ignatius in the spring of 2015.

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