Esther Hilda Earle

Esther Hilda Clapper Earle of Brattleboro, VT passed away peacefully at Brattleboro
Memorial Hospital on June 6th, 2019. Esther was born on September 26th 1924 to Clarence
and Henrietta (Montgomery) Clapper on a farm in Hyde Park VT. On August 2nd, 1947 in East
Craftsbury, VT Esther married Clinton Earle. Together they had seven children, Richard (Jean)
Earle, Merritt Royce (Donna) Earle, Dayton (Deborah) Earle, Karlene (Alan) Smith, Bob
(Buffalo) (Carol) Earle, Lawrence (Jay) Earle, and Maynard Earle (Eileen Ogden) .
Esther worked right along side of her husband Clint through the years on many different
jobs from being at the Cheese Factory, picking potatoes and working in woodshops. Although
she was a hard worker, she always made time for fun with her family by having cookouts, going
camping, fish fries/fishing trips and gardening. She loved going ice fishing with Clint, and
enjoyed catching more fish then he would!
In her later years she enjoyed going to the Gather Place five days a week where she
played cards, bingo, and dominos. She enjoyed writing and reading letters from her niece Polly
Judd Green. She continued to love her family to the fullest, and spending time with them any
minute she could.
Esther was an extremely special person with the love, kindness, and independence she
showed everyday of her life, right up to the moment she passed. She lived life to the fullest,
filling up on sweet treats and laughter! She was extremely close to her 7 children, 22 grandchildren,
25 great grandchildren and 13 great great grandchildren. Esther was known as Gram to
everyone.
Esther was predeceased by her parents, her husband (March 6th, 2007), her three
brothers - Merritt M. Clapper, Ithiel W. Clapper and Max W. Clapper, her sister Carrie Clapper
Goynea, grandsons Raymond Smith and Michael Earle, great granddaughter Brooke Tidland,
and great great grandson Tono Figueroa.
The funeral will be at the West Brattleboro Baptist Church on Monday June 10th at
11:00am. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Gathering Place of Brattleboro as Esther loved
it there. Condolences can be sent to Richard Earle at 68 Glen St. Brattleboro VT 05301 as he
will pass it on to the rest of the family.