Esther Thelma Berry

Esther Thelma Burgess Berry
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Esther Thelma Burgess Berry died on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at the age of 92 at the DarWay Nursing Home, where she had resided since 1995.

She was the widow of J. Demarest Berry, former editor of the Sullivan Review and reporter for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette.Esther and "JD" had a nursery in Estella for many years.

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Esther and her older brother, Roscoe attended the Green Mountain School, a one-room schoolhouse located directly across from her grandfather, William Burgess's home on Bear Mountain.

The family moved to the Birdsall place on the east side of Bear Mountain, a move of approximately two miles.A year later, they moved to the Ulysses Bird Place on Forks Mountain.From both of these homes, she attended the Graded Schools through eighth grade in Estella and two years of high school in Estella.Esther left home to attend her final two years of high school in Houghton, NY in 1926 and 1927.She then attended Mansfield Normal School (now Mansfield University), earning her degree in teaching.She returned to Estella to teach for a year at Center School (present home of Jacob Lund and family).She was married to J. Demarest Berry on May 14, 1931 at the home of her parents in Estella, Forks Mountain.
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Esther began teaching in Estella, the present township building (former Graded Schools) in 1954, grades one through three.She taught fourth grade at the Estella Elementary School, formerly the Loyalsock High School, now the DarWay Nursing Home until the elementary school closed and the grades were moved to Laporte.She taught fourth grade at Laporte Elementary School until she retired in the late 1970's.She was well-loved by those who were her students.Many remember her with fond regard.