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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF AGNES SLOTEMAKER ESTIE Written by Luanne Zylstra On September 28, 1905, John and Tillie Slotemaker welcomed their first daughter, Agnes. She joined two older brothers Cornelius and Henry. A few years later she became a big sister with the birth of Dick and then again with Otto. Then, when Agnes was eight she was no longer the only girl in the family. Her sister Jessie was born. But the joy was not to last, for Jessie passed away just a day short of her 4th birthday. Again in 1919 the family was blessed with another girl who was also named Jessie. Agnes and her family attended the First CRC in Lynden. Her father was a member of the council. He wrote poetry and stories for many events. He was well liked by all who knew him. Agnes grew up on a large farm on the Hampton Road which is now owned by Leo and Arnold Folkertsma. Horse and buggy was the main transportation of the day and this is what she and her brothers took to school, except on the days they would walk. As Agnes grew older, she, along with her siblings and friends, belonged to the Young Peoples’ Society of the church. This was the main social gathering of that day. Little did Agnes know that here she would meet a young man that would change her life. Joe Estie of Everett, spent a part of a summer vacation with the Heutinks who lived on the Trapline Road and not too far from the Slotemaker farm. The courtship officially started at a "Basket Social" at the Y.P.S. where Joe managed to purchase Agnes’ basket and then walked her home that evening. Through weekend visits and letters that love grew. Also, Agnes felt special to have a boy from Everett pay her all this attention. So on her 20th birthday they were married. One Newspaper account read as following: |
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AGNES SLOTEMAKER The home was prettily decorated with a fall color scheme. The bride and bridegroom stood under an arch of fall colored maple and evergreens. The bride looked attractive in a pretty peach flat crepe dress, and carried a bouquet of flowers. Miss Katherine Estie acted as bridesmaid and Mr. Henry Slotemaker as best man. The bridesmaid wore a dress of tan silk taffeta and carried a bouquet of flowers. Little Alyda Estie and Jessie Slotemaker acted as flower girls. After the ceremony a bounteous supper, ice cream and other refreshments were served to about eighty relatives and friends and after a jolly program the merry guests went home at a late hour. Rev. P. Jonker performed the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Estie left by automobile Tuesday afternoon for Canada and Sound points. They will go south to Portland and return via Columbia Highway and Eastern Washington. They expect to live in Seattle where Mr. Estie is employed. |
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Joe had a job with Western Auto Supply Company in Seattle. Feeling a little home sick, Agnes went home to visit her family for a short time. When she returned to their Seattle home she found a bouquet of flowers and a banner that read "Welcome Home". A short time later the young couple moved to Bellingham due to Joe’s transfer. While living in Bellingham, the Esties welcomed four daughters, Eleanor born on August 4, 1926, Jean came along January 16, 1928. On May 29, 1929, Joan was born and 27 months later on September 5, 1931, Deloris arrived. On May 15, 1933, the young family moved to Lynden. Joe had gone into a partnership with Simon Wesselius and Henry Hoving in the S & H Auto Supply. It was at this time the family began attending the 2nd CRC. Later the couple built a house on 10th Street and lived there for many years. Agnes worried about the loan payment of about $21.00 a month. Joe later worked at the Lynden Post Office where he was for the next 25 years. During all this time the girls were growing up and soon started to date and then to marry. First Eleanor, she met and then married a local boy named Andrew Zylstra on June 7, 1946. Next Jean tied the knot about 1 ˝ years later on December 28, 1949, to Warren Yonker. Deloris married Jim Wood the following June. Now Joan would wait a few years before she would marry. The standing family joke was she had to find a man with the last name starting with the letter "X". You see, Deloris’ husband’s last name started with the letter "W", Jean found one with the letter "Y", and Eleanor with "Z". So Joan looked and looked till she found a "V" which was close, and on July 13, 1962, she married Wayne Vandermolen. In Januray, 1962, Agnes and Joe chose to move to Arizona for Joe’s health. Joe had become ill with emphysema and diabetes. So Warren drove Joe and Agnes to Arizona with an oxygen tank in the car for Joe to use when needed. When they reached Mesa, Joe needed to be hospitalized again. The only motel vacancy they could find for Agnes was a little shabby place but the lady that operated it was kind and took Agnes to see Joe daily. Needing to return to Lynden, Warren worried about leaving them behind with no permanent place to stay. But on the plane sitting next to him was a man enroute to California on a speaking tour for an agriculture program. In their conversation Warren told them about his in-laws and the concerns he had and that they would have a hard time managing. Mr. Morrison offered to help if he could. Three weeks later Joe and Agnes met the Morrisons and moved on their cotton farm in their comfortable guest house. So once again Agnes found herself living on a farm. Agnes baby sat the Morrison’s children sometimes which made it easier for her because she missed her grandchildren. From 1949 to 1966 Joe and Agnes were blessed with 16 grandchildren starting with the oldest: Kent, Carol, Rick, Ronn, Greg, Wendy, Janet, Craig, Susan, Tami, Jeff, Laurie, Lisa, Patty, Luanne and Karla. During the next 10 years Joe needed to be taken to the hospital from time to time and the Morrisons were always willing to help. But one night Joe became very ill and was taken to the hospital, Mrs. Morrison stayed with Agnes all that first night at the hospital. Then two weeks later in April of 1972, (3 days following his 69th birthday) Joe went to be with the Lord. A memorial service was held in Arizona then back to Lynden for a local service and burial. A few months later Agnes moved back to Lynden to be by family. Now she keeps busy with her crocheting and other fancy work and, of course, playing scrabble with friends. Now we celebrate the fact that Agnes has seen 90 years on this earth. In that time she has lived through 17 presidents and two World Wars, man landing on the moon, and seeing a total of 7 generations of her family. She has met her grandparents, her parents, her siblings, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her great-great grandchildren. God has been faithful, God has been good!! Written by Luanne Zylstra |
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