Esther Whitcomb

Esther Whitcomb, 100, of Ottawa, Kansas, passed away Monday, January 8, 2024, at Richmond Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Richmond, Kansas.

Graveside funeral services will be held 2:00 pm, Wednesday, January 17, 2024, Highland Cemetery in Ottawa.

Family will greet friends from 5:00-7:00 pm, Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at Dengel & Son Mortuary, Ottawa.

Esther was born on Monday, February 26, 1923, in Kansas City, Kansas, the daughter of Glen and Mary Martha (Hill) Spitzer.

She moved with her family to Lawrence, Kansas at the age of five. Esther went to Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Kansas and graduated with the class of 1941.

On Wednesday, July 16, 1941, Esther was united in marriage with William C. “Carlyle” Whitcomb. They were married in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Carlyle and Esther headed for California, where Carlyle’s parents lived. They lived in California for three years before coming back to Lawrence to see her parents. They moved to Grand Prairie, Texas in 1944 and moved back to Ottawa when they purchased the skating rink in 1946, located on 2nd and Main Street on the third floor. They ran the roller rink in the winter and the forest park swimming pool in the summer, along with Esther’s parents Glen and Mary, for twenty years.

She worked four years at Plattner’s and fourteen years as an assembler at Bendix King, retiring on February 24, 1992.

Esther also volunteered at the senior center for several years packing meals on wheels.

She enjoyed crocheting and sewing in past years. Esther has been to every state and Canada. She unfortunately did not make it to Alaska.

Her brother Carl Spitzer, in World War II, preceded her in death along with her husband William Carlyle, daughter, Janice Ann Hays; and parents Mary and Glen.

Esther is survived by her daughter, Starlene Garber of Ottawa, Kansas