Esther Lunsford

Esther was born on February 20, 1916 in Haviland, KS to Richmond and Nancy Strickland. She was the middle of 10 brothers and sisters. She was married to Rev. Robert Lloyd Lunsford on November 11, 1935 who preceded her in death in 1993. She is survived by her four children and two daughters-in-law, David and Jeanne Lunsford of San Diego, CA., John & Beverly Lunsford of Silver Spring, MD., and Margaret Lunsford and Linda Lunsford of Bourbonnais, IL., seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, four siblings and their spouses, Sadie Ahlemeier of Bixby, OK., Andora Snell of Garden City, KS., John & Esta Ruth Strickland of Houston, TX., and Lorraine & Richard Carson of Prescott, AZ.Following her graduation from Olivet Nazarene University, Mrs. Lunsford was an elementary school teacher in Bourbonnais for 19 years. She earned her Masters Degree from the University of Illinois. She had been a member of the Friends of the Bourbonnais Library from its inception and was instrumental in getting the library established. She and her husband served in the pastorate of many Nazarene churches in Indiana and Illinois; together they served a church for one year in England in 1975-76 and were volunteers at the newly established Nazarene Bible College in Nairobi, Kenya in 1990. She served as a volunteer on many chuch and civic functions. Esther was a member of College Church of the Nazarene for 65 years. She was as published author, world traveler and enjoyed photography, reading and flowers.