On June 7, 1918, Esther Elloise Beecher was born on the Beecher homestead in Palco, Kansas.

She is a descendant of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher. Her father, Jesse, was a farmer and minister for the Palco Church of God. Her mother, Bertha, had four other children so Esther was the youngest.

Esther school days began in the country one-room school house until the eighth grade at which time she went to the Palco Middle School. In 1933, Esther had her own bedroom and the house had their first in door toilet. When dad accepted a full-time calling of ministry to the Witchita Church of God, the family moved and Esther began in Witchita High School. Esther went to Indiana to attend Anderson Bible College. Her father accepted the pastorship of the Sacramento, California, Church of God so they moved the family.

There Esther met Charles Benson a local man of who was the youth pastor at her church in 1942. The Second World War interrupt their courtship of letters, and yet in May 1943, she and Charles were married in Sacramento. Esther and Charles had one child, Floyd, who eventually married a young woman named Katie.

Esther and Charles lived in Southern California serving five different churches most of their lives. The once-great state of California had changed so much that when her son had moved to the beautiful state of Idaho where the air was clean, he moved Esther to live with his family in 2003. Esther is an active member of local AARP meetings and was in Silver Sneakers from 2005 to 2017 biweekly; plus her church activities.

Esther has attended the First United Methodist Church while at residence in Pocatello where on Sunday, June 10, after morning worship, they will help her celebrate her 100th birthday between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. All friends and out of state relatives will visit during the celebration with a small luncheon and birthday cake. Come and visit after morning worship at 10 a.m. The church is at 200 N. 15th Ave. in Pocatello.