Esta Amelia Matthews, 94, of Sterling formerly from Wray, Colo passed away Jan 26, 2015, in Sterling. Funeral services will be held Friday, Jan 30, 2015 at Chaney Reager Funeral Home in Sterling at 11:00 am with Reverend Norman Stott from the Wray United Methodist Church officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00 to 6:00 pm on Thursday Jan 29th at Chaney Reager with family from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Interment at Riverside Cemetery.

Esta was born on December 2, 1920 in Sterling to Bertram and Mabel Smith Wilson. She grew up on her parents homestead in Northwest Yuma County and attended school at Plainview and Sterling graduating in 1938 from Sterling High School. Her parent's home burned to the ground in 1932 and the family moved to Sterling at that time. She and her parents joined Christ United Methodist Church in 1933. She later became a member of the Wray United Methodist Church.

Esta's first job was at Woolworths working part time while in school. She also worked at cafes where her Mom cooked. She worked in the catalogue department at Montgomery Wards after graduation and Firestone until she had to quit to care for her Mom who was losing her sight due to cataracts. She worked as a seamstress to help out and continued to work as a seamstress much of her life making all of her daughter's clothes and several wedding dresses including her own and her daughters.

In August 1946 she met her dream man, Charles Matthews at a dance. They dated for three years and married November 30, 1949. They settled in the Padroni community and had two daughters, Patricia and Charla. They moved to the Matthews family farm in 1956. She went to work in Sterling in 1967 managing Scott's Fabrics. While living in Iliff, she was a 4-H leader, belonged to several clubs and served on the advisory committee to the LPN program at NJC.

In 1968 the family moved to Wray, Colorado to farm and Esta worked at Ken Lane Clothing and Houtz Drug Store. She belonged to several clubs and was always active in her Extension Club and Bon Ami. She also worked as a travel agent for 10 years.

She is survived by her daughters Patty Cox from Wray, Charla Castle and husband Gary from Atwood, grandchildren Matt Cox from Thornton, Philip Cox and wife Andria from Wray, Brittany Kloberdanz and husband Josh from Atwood, Tanja Castle Davis and husband Joe from Chicago and Trenton Castle and wife Kayla from Thornton, great grandchildren Ean White, Jordan, Caleb, Blake and Chloee Kloberdanz, Taylor, Nicole, Ryan and Andrew Davis, William Castle and Ben Breidenbach and her sister in law Mary Jane Chapman in Westminster.

Esta was proceeded in death by her husband Charles in 1998, her brother Howard Wilson, her parents, and her son in law Bill Cox.

Memorials can be made to the Esta Matthews Memorial fund in care of Chaney Reager.