Freida A (Benden) Estermyer Obituary (1923

Freida A. Estermyer of West Mayfield, Beaver Falls, passed away peacefully in her home on Friday, November 24, 2017. Born in Johnstown, PA on August 8, 1923 she was the only daughter of Howard M. and Lillian Pearl Benden. Freida graduated from Beaver Falls High School in January 1942 and from The Providence Hospital School of Nursing on September 11, 1945. She served in the U.S. Cadet Nurses Program during WWII. Growing up she was active in the Girl Scouts and was a member of the Girls Athletic Association playing on the softball and basketball teams. Freida was most proud of her 40-year career as a registered nurse. She started her career at Providence Hospital as an operating room nurse and advanced to night supervisor for over 13 years and then advanced to a day supervisor. During her tenure at Providence Hospital the hospital tripled in size and eventually merged with Rochester Hospital and Beaver Valley Hospital in New Brighton. The three hospitals became The Medical Center and is now Heritage Valley Health System. Freida retired from The Medical Center in 1986 as an operating room nurse, which was her first love in nursing. Freida was always grateful to the Sisters of Charity and in particular to Sister Mary Stephen, for her nursing education and nurturing. She remained close with her nursing school classmates. In 1954 Frieda volunteered to administer polio vaccine in the local community and from 1976 through 1996 she participated in The Nurses' Health Study by Harvard University. Freida's husband, John T. Estermyer, Jr., was a member of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 9 PA and worked on local construction projects. Over the years, together they built three family homes. For many years Freida and John traveled in their motor home and enjoyed snowmobiling, canoeing, motorcycle riding, fishing, crabbing and wintering in Florida. Freida was preceded in death by her husband John T. Estermyer, Jr. on March 4, 1998, her parents Howard M. and Lillian Pearl Benden, and three brothers, Aloysius, Homer and Faber. She is survived by a son, Gregory P. Estermyer and his wife Charlotte (Sipple) of Plano, TX, a daughter Valerie E. Swan and her husband Thomas W. Swan of Beaver, PA and a daughter, Janese M. Whitelaw and her husband Thomas Whitelaw of Sebring, FL as well as nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She has two surviving brothers, Regis Benden (wife Eleanor, deceased) and Lyman (Babe) Benden (wife Mary, deceased), and a sister-in-law, Mary (husband Homer) Benden, and several loving nieces and nephews. Visitation will be at the Hill and Kunselman Funeral Home, www.hillandkunselman.com., 3801 Fourth Ave., College Hill, Beaver Falls, PA 15010 on Sunday, December 3rd from noon to 5:00 p.m. Prayers will be recited in the funeral home on Monday, December 4th at 9:20 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in St. Monica's R.C. Church, 116 Thorndale Dr., Beaver Falls, PA. Interment will follow in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the St. Monica Catholic Academy Angel Fund, 609 10th Street, Beaver Falls, PA 15010, or a charity of your choice. Our family is grateful to Good Samaritan Hospice for the excellent care mom received and we are especially grateful to granddaughters, Kristina Mine and Emily Ruehl, our mother's caregivers and companions.