Esther May Freed Garten, age 89, passed away, October 13, 2011 in Colorado Springs.  She was born August 9, 1922, daughter of the late Walter Hiram and Grace Elizabeth Freed.   Esther was a master seamstress and loved to spend her time crocheting afghans for her children and grandchildren.  Esther became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in February of 12975 while living in Security, Colorado. She served a mission and worked in the Denver Temple 14 years.   Esther is survived by two sons, Walter Garten of Santa Maria, California and Steven (Diane) Garten of Fountain, Colorado; sisters Naomi Noble of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Eilene Clay of Canon City, Colorado; daughter-in-law, Jodie Garten of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and brother-in-law Delmar (Pete) Wagner of Colorado Springs, Colorado and numerous beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.   Esther has 14 grandchildren: Robin Roy Garten, Jr. (deceased), Debra (Michael) Pedersen of Covington, Washington, Patty Geiger of Santa Maria, California, Joseph (Dana) Garten  of Grandview, Missouri, Sarah (Andrew) Hanna of Newton, Kansas, RaTray (James) Ricks of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Benjamin Garten of Lehi, Utah, Arya (Tim) Jones of San Luis Obispo, California; Anya (Adam Cvyscvweski) Garten of Richmond, Virginia, Amber (Nick) Kerbo of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Jordan (Kristina) Garten of Denver, Colorado, Amy Garten of Alamosa, Colorado, and AbreyEnna and Alyssa Garten of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Esther has nine great grandchildren: Daniel Geiger, Dustin Hanna, Dean Hanna, Dixie Hanna, Brecken Jones, Teague Jones, Daisy Garten, Fern Garten, and Logan Garten. ~~ Esther May Garten Eulogy   On August 9, 1922, Esther was born the fifth child to Walter Hiram Freed and Grace Elizabeth Ostrander. At the time of her birth, the family was living in Rocky Ford, Colorado but she was born in Las Animas, Colorado.  As she told the story, “My mother wasn’t expecting me quite that soon.  She was visiting my aunt and uncle in Las Animas when I decided to make my appearance.”   Walter and Grace Freed were devout Christians and raised their children with demanding faith. They chose to name Esther after the Esther in the Old Testament.  Walter was known for being a great teacher and would be asked to teach Sunday school whenever he visited different congregations.  Because of Grace’s special gift for faithful prayer, many people would request that she pray for them. She also had a talented alto voice and was an accomplished pianist.  Walter and Grace loved singing duets together with Grace accompanying on the piano.  They were often asked to sing for functions in their communities.   A story that Esther often shared was about a time when her sister, Grace and her brother Webb got in trouble with their parents.  After each had spent some time alone with their parents, they asked each other, “Well, did you get whopped, or did you get prayed?”   Esther’s parents, and their six surviving children, were frequently moving from place to place because of Walter’s occupation.  He was a salesman who moved his family with changes in his territory.  Esther’s earliest remembrances are of living in Topeka, Kansas, but remembers multiple moves back and forth between Colorado and Kansas.    When Esther was in junior high school, the family moved back within the borders of Colorado and stayed.  A sample of the mobility of this family is seen in Esther’s high school years.  She began high school in Pueblo, attended also in Devine and Canon City and graduated in Wray, Colorado.   Esther married Blaine Albert Garten on her 19th birthday in Canon City not long after graduation from high school.  The couple moved back to Wray; first to a rented farm, and then they bought land of their own.  Esther gave birth to six children while living in the Wray area but one of her girls died shortly after birth.    In 1959 when the youngest child was two years old, Blaine sold the farm and took a job with the State highway department based in Fountain. The Lord brought the family to Colorado Springs so they would have the opportunity to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. The family first rented a home in Colorado Springs while searching for a place to buy.  After two months, they moved into the home on Rosemont Drive in Security where Esther lived for 47 years.    Esther was a devoted mother with many talents that blessed her family.  She created great tasting meals out of simple ingredients and the whole family fondly remembers the gorgeous bunny cake she meticulously made every Easter. She was a master seamstress because she could see a dress in a store window, go home and make the pattern from scratch for that dress, and then sew the dress.  She even made the suit that her son Alan wore when he was married. Her parent’s musical talents taught Esther to love good music.  She always fondly remembered the old hymns that she learned in her youth.  She sang in many choirs and tried to learn how to play the piano.  Her favorite choir is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.   Esther also worked outside of the home.  She worked at Emerson Electric where she mistakenly put her hand in a manufacturing press causing the loss of part of her left index finger. She later began working for Hewlett Packard where she first assembled printed circuit boards and worked her way up to testing electronic equipment.  She retired after 23 years with Hewlett Packard.   Esther joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1975. Then at the age of 65 after retiring from Hewlett Packard, she served a proselyting mission in the Missouri, St. Louis Mission.  She served with sister missionary companions in their 20s, she set a good example and sometimes could out walk them.  After returning back to her home in Security, she drove to Denver weekly to serve the Lord in the Denver Temple for 14 years. She has held many positions in the Church and has blessed many people while serving.    At her passing, Esther had only two surviving children and for health reasons had moved to live in Fountain, Colorado with a son, a daughter-in-law and the daughter-in-law’s mother, Jeanne.  They have spent many happy hours together as a family and have always given thanks for the blessings of being able to take care of each other.  Her other son has continually supported her and she loved his many phone calls and presents.    Esther has been a living example of the Lord Jesus Christ as she has provided service to many people.  She was always smiling and helping others to laugh.  She loved the Lord Jesus Christ and has always unselfishly shared whatever she had with others. She loved her grandchildren and always shared her love, her testimony and her talents with them.  She is loved and honored by her grandchildren. She loved to read, crochet, sew and mend clothes for people.  She has crocheted many afghans for her five children and her 14 grandchildren.  She has weathered many physical, emotional and spiritual trials with steadfastness and faith.  She has faithfully served the Lord by always looking for ways to help others to come unto Christ.   We will all miss her smile, her laugh and her constant reminders of her love for us and the Lord.  ~~ Visitation 9:30 to 10:30 AM, Saturday, October 15, 2011 with Funeral Service to follow at 11:00 AM, at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 325 Putnam Avenue, Security, Colorado 80911. Interment, 2:00 PM, Saturday, October 15, 2011 at Memorial Gardens, 3825 Airport Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado.