Esther Tulley

Esther Theresa Tulley, age 97, of Livingston, Montana, and formerly of Fresno, California, passed away on August 18, 2016, in Livingston. Montana. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 A.M. at the Pine Creek United Methodist Church on Monday, August 22, 2016. Esther was born February 12, 1919 in Albany, Oregon, to Waldo and Sarah Shipman. She is survived by four daughters and their spouses: daughter, Deneb and Alan Pologar of Aurora, CO, and their children, Trent Pologar, Tara (Jason) Dennison; daughter, Tamara and Jerry Baum of Bay Shore, NY and their children, Brendan Baum, Casey (Michele) Baum, Kevin and Brian Baum; daughter, Druska and Richard Kinkie of Pray, MT and their children, Rachel (Mike) Meredith and Alan Kinkie; daughter, Tanya and Joe Wilkins of Orovlle, CA and their daughter, Marissa Wilkins. When Esther was five years old, the family moved to Fresno, California, where Esther graduated from high school in 1936. She then attended Fresno State College, taking pre-nursing courses. Esther started skiing in 1938 and became active in the Fresno Ski Club. She started ski racing in 1939, winning several major California races. She qualified as a Class A skier and became active in the ski patrol. She was a delegate to the 1939 state ski convention in San Francisco. She became the 18th member of the National Ski Patrol. In 1941, she moved to Alaska and worked as a clerk-typist for the Army Engineers. She continued to ski race, winning the state giant slalom and downhill events. Esther was instrumental in forming the Alaska National Ski Patrol. In early 1943, she returned to Seattle, Washington, to attend the University of Washington and began nurses training at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, graduating in 1947. She loved Alaska and returned to Anchorage after nursing school, managing a small hospital and volunteering in the National Red Cross Motor Corps, rising to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. In 1949, she joined the University of Denver Health Services and also took classes at the University of Denver. She graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education. She was a member of Delta Zeta Sorority and the University of Denver womens ski team. She was married to George Francis Tulley from 1951-1961. Esther continued her studies and graduated in 1958 with a Master of Arts in Education and a minor in counseling and guidance. Esther and George taught and lived in several Colorado school districts. In 1958, they moved to Arizona where Esther was an Evening Supervisor at Tempe Clinic and Hospital and the school nurse at Mesa High School in Mesa, Arizona. From 1961-1967, Esther served as Dean of Women and Associate Dean of Students at Mesa College in Grand Junction, Colorado. From 1967-1970, she taught at Colorado Mountain College in Leadville, Colorado, and at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, Wyoming. In 1970, she became Executive Director of the Wyoming Lung Association in Cheyenne, Wyoming. From 1972 to 1974, she was with the Veterans Administration Hospital in La Junta, Colorado. From 1974-1984, she worked at the VA hospital in Sheridan, Wyoming, where she was a Clinical Nursing Instructor and a Senior Grade Nurse. Upon retirement in 1984, she moved to Livingston, Montana. She took time to travel to Mexico City, Nepal, and back to Alaska. She was also active in Red Cross Disaster Nursing for eight years. Esther loved the outdoors, exploring new places, hiking, fishing and camping. A member of the Livingston Rock Club, her interest in rocks and mining was extensive. She also loved sports, playing softball and volleyball. She couldnt be beaten at horseshoes. One of Esthers greatest loves was music, a talent she instilled in her children and grandchildren. She played piano by ear and no one could play the harmonica like she did. She shared her musical skills throughout the Livingston community, performing at Frontier Assisted Living, Livingston Health and Rehabilitation Center, and Park County Senior Center. She raised four daughters as a single mother in the 1960s and imbued in her family a love of the outdoors and a strong sense of self. Her daughters love and miss her and will always be grateful she was their mom.