Esther Elizabeth (Smith) Balchdied Monday, December 21, 2015 at the Grafton County Nursing Home, where she received excellent care, and was loved by all.

She was born December 27, 1918 in Dorchester, Massachusetts (the youngest of nine children), to Annie (Keddy) Smith and Dennison Brown Smith. The family moved to West Fairlee Center, Vermont in 1921 and lived on the Bear Notch Road until 1925 when they moved to their Cross Road home in Post Mills, Vermont in 1925.

Esther graduated from Thetford Academy in 1937 and went on to attend Randolph Normal School in Randolph, Vermont. She married Raymond Harvey Balch of Lyme Center, New Hampshire in 1940 and together they raised four children: Marilyn, Wanita, Alfred and Sylvia. She was a stay-at-home mom while raising her children. Later on, she worked at Hanover Terrace Nursing Home and at the Lyme Town Offices in the Converse Free Library.

A devoted Christian of great faith, she read the Bible daily and would often quote certain passages when the time was right.

She was a gifted pianist, playing by ear, and entertained at the Lyme Inn and the Hanover Senior Center. A natural comedian, she loved to make people laugh. She also enjoyed playing bingo and claimed to have a system of choosing the right cards. A good cook, she was dedicated to the tradition of dinner at noon and supper in the evening. She canned and put away food for the winter and shelves in her cellar were filled with canned vegetables, beef, and venison.

Perhaps she will be remembered most for just being a good and loving person - always treating others with kindness and love.

She leaves her son Alfred Balch; her daughter Wanita Marsh; her grandchildren Deborah Hadlock, Sherry Senecal, Paula Tensen, Penny Loschiavo, Garland Valley,Tim Morse and Forrest Allan. She also leaves ten great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Raymond H. Balch, two daughters Marilyn Valley and Sylvia Allan, and one grandchild Lisa Marsh. She was also predeceased by her parents and all eight of her siblings.

A graveside service will be held at a later date. Rand Wilson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Donations may be made in her memory to the Pearl Dimick Fund, c/o The Lyme Foundation, P.O. Box 292, Lyme, NH 03768, or a charity of your choice.