Esther F. Carriker, 93, of Litchfield, died on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, at 10:24 a.m. in her home.
Visitation will be held Monday, July 23, from 12 to 2 p.m. at Plummer Funeral Home in Litchfield. Funeral services will follow, beginning at 2 p.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. Charles Waggoner, of Church of God in Norris City, officiating. Burial will take place at Elm Lawn Cemetery in Litchfield.
Mrs. Carriker was born on Sept. 27, 1924, in Shaw's Point Township in Macoupin County, to Leslie Dorman and Nona Maude (Hodges) Fuller. She married Philip Raymond Carriker on April 29, 1943, in Miami, FL, and he preceded her in death on Nov. 10, 2010.
She graduated from Litchfield High School with the class of 1941.
After receiving a war emergency certificate, she began teaching elementary education at Tennessee School near Oconee. She also worked as a civil service clerk at the U.S. Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, RI, and at Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Litchfield as an office manager and bookkeeper for 15 years.
Mrs. Carriker was a licensed local lay pastor with the United Methodist Church, and served at several area churches until retiring in 1999. She was a member of Carlyle Church of God in Carlyle and attended Living Stones in Litchfield.
She loved working crossword puzzles, camping and reading, but most of all, she loved being with her family.
Mrs. Carriker is survived by four daughters, Evelyn (Ivan) Blankenship of Litchfield, Donna (Randy) Hayes of Polo, Marie Towell of Carlyle and Nona (Steven) Tosetti of Nokomis; eight grandchildren, Neal (Shelley) Blankenship of Witt, Colin (Heather) Hayes of Aurora, Gary (Jennifer) Towell of Carlyle, Eric (companion Samantha McGee) Towell of Carlyle, Joseph (Stacy) Tosetti of Nokomis, Jamie (companion Mike Sloe) Tosetti of Springfield, Julia (Ben) Thornton of Coalton and James Tosetti of Nokomis; 13 great-grandchildren; and a niece, Jean Sikorski of Litchfield.
Memorials may be directed to Meals on Wheels or HSHS Hospice. To light a candle or sign the online guestbook, please visit www.plummerfuneralservices.com.
