Porter - Esther Mae Inghram, 95, of Porter Village, passed away unexpectedly on September 25, 2017. She was born in Parsonsfield on October 1, 1921 a daughter of Fred and Ethel Stetson. Esther went to school in a one room schoolhouse right in Porter Village on Old County Road. She went on to graduate from the old Porter High School (now gone) in 1938 at the age of 16, the only one to graduate in her family.
Esther, like many in her generation, grew up on a family farm where they learned responsibility as well as consequence. She knew the rewards of a good days work, and how to survive with what they had and could afford. Her parents bought the land around 1903 for about $1,200.00, paying a couple of dollars a week! They built the house (which is now gone) and put up the fencing which is still there. She liked sharing stories of that time. The death of her father while out turning the garden over was the most heartfelt and emotional.
Esther stayed close to home and met and married her husband Everett Inghram in 1941. They stayed married until his death in 2006. Through this time they survived war, taking care of family to their ends, cooking, caring, supporting and taking them under their "Angels Wings". They had no children of their own, but several could call them "parents"!
Esther also worked in the "Ole Woolen Mill" and told storied of the "Damn old bobbins were taller than me!", and "Doing a man's job!". They would have to print two Shopping Guides in order to fit all her stories in. God bless her...
She is predeceased by most of her generation, parents, husband, brothers, sisters, childhood friends, neighbors and her most cherished pets: Babe, Dude and Buddy. She is one of the last of the Great Ones. They saw it, survived, and watched it all "change".
She leaves behind 3 nieces and their families: Yvonne Doughty of South Hiram, Marjorie Grant and her husband Lyle of Rochester, NH. as well as a third niece, Joyce. Also one life that she ultimately saved and changed forever, Brandon Sprague, his beautiful wife and center of his life, Tammy, and their children Brianna Marjorie Sprague and Kyle Everett Sprague.
A celebration and commitment of her life to the Lord will be held graveside at Porter Village Cemetery, Old County Road, on Saturday, October 21, at 10:30 a.m. All are welcome.
Arrangements by Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Cornish. Online condolences may be expressed at www.mainefuneral.com