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Esther was born in Berthoud, Colorado in September of 1923 to Carl Daniel Chelberg and Gladys Olive Mead Chelberg. She was the oldest of three children.
The family resided in Loveland Colorado until 1936, when they moved to Montana. She attended school at the Rancher School in Meyers and then Custer, graduating eighth grade and high school in Custer. Esther graduated from Normal School in Billings and taught school for a year in Silesia, then moved to Billings where she worked at Lew Chevrolet.
Esther married Albert Grammens in 1947 and moved to Bighorn where they farmed for the next 15 years until purchasing their own farm on the Heart Mountain Project at Powell, Wyoming. Albert and Esther lived in the Powell area until 1988 when they moved to Billings.
They were snowbirds, spending winters in Apache Junction, Arizona starting in 1968, and Esther continued to do so well into her 90s. Albert passed in 1991.
In 1994, she was remarried to an old Custer classmate, Harry Frahm and they had nine wonderful years together traveling in their RV. Harry passed in 2002.
In 2004, Esther married an Arizona snowbird friend, Irvin Cuthbertson. They split their time between Irvin’s family in Illinois and their home in Billings, eventually making Billings their permanent home. They shared good times on cruise ships and tours. Irvin passed in 2017.
Esther moved to Westpark Village in 2017. She passed while visiting her daughter in Washington on Dec. 24, 2020.
Esther had an adventurous fulfilling life. Her travels took her to Tonga, American Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Mexico, Alaska, Canada, through the Panama Canal and all over America. She made friends in every port, whether traveling by car, RV, cruise ship, or plane. She packed a lot of living into her 97 years and had a special skill of telling her stories. She was also a loving mother and caregiver.
Esther never looked her age and is described as a special classy lady, a family matriarch, a safe harbor, always welcoming and committed to her family. She will be missed by all.
Esther is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Patricia and Kenneth Warner; her granddaughter and her husband, Darcy and Bret Drury; her sister Joyce (Chuck) Stanley; her stepchildren from her marriage to Harry, Pat Frahm and Jim Frahm; her stepchildren from her marriage to Irvin, Karen Cuthbertson, Neil (Jan) Cuthbertson, Sharon (Rick) Coursey, and Susan (Steve) Harding. Also surviving are numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and dear friends, especially her dear friend Lillian.
She was preceded in death by Albert Grammens, Harry Frahm, Irvin Cuthbertson and her brother Charles (Jane) Chelberg.
No services are planned at this time. A celebration of her life will hopefully be held in Billings the summer of 2021. Her remains will be buried beside Albert in the Custer cemetery at a later date.
A special thanks to the staff at Westpark Village for taking such good care of her these past four years. Donations can be made to the American Lung Association, Baja Dogs La Paz (bajadogslapaz.org) or your local food bank. Online memorial at lewischapel.com.
