VINTON: Esther Leone Milholin, age 94, died Tuesday, May 9, 2006 at the Vinton Lutheran Home following an extended illness.

Memorial Services will be held at 1 P.M., on Friday, May 12, 2006 at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel in Vinton with Rev. Julie McCullough officiating. Private Committal Services will be held at the Mount Vernon Cemetery in Mount Vernon. Her family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 5 to 7 P.M. A memorial fund has been established.

Esther was born January 13, 1912 at Spirit Lake, to Harry J. and Mabel (Deel) Arthur. Following graduation from high school she attended Cornell College for three years. On February 4, 1933 she married James William Milholin at Cedar Rapids. He preceded her in death on June 2, 1994.

While living in Spirit Lake, Esther was employed at Berkley’s Fishing Inc. For many years Esther served as a houseparent caring children at the Council Bluffs Orphanage, and then at the St. Louis Sight Savings School, and IBSSS in Vinton. Devoting her life to the care of children Esther was also a foster parent to eleven children over a fifteen-year period.

In her leisure she enjoyed sewing, and quilting. She often said the smell of the earth rejuvenated her so her true passion was gardening, and flowers were her joy.

She is survived by her daughter Barbara Wise of Vinton; her son, Tom Milholin of Rogers, AR, and Jerry Milholin of Des Moines; six grandchildren, Bradley Wise of Vinton, Julie (Don) Wilson of Cartersville, GA, Becki (Warren) Richart of Urbana, Sheryl (Bob) Baumann of Marion, Bill (Chong) Milholin of Des Moines, and Bob (Audrey) Milholin of Pacifica, CA; nine great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; her sister, Helen Sandmeyer of Washington, IL; her brother, Harry “Cork” Arthur of Winter Springs, FL, and several nieces and nephews.