Esther White

Esther (Myers) White peacefully passed away at Fraserview Retirement home in Richmond, BC, on Aug 30, 2022. She is survived by her daughter, Adrienne White, her nephew, Bernhard Hamilton (Louise, Oliver and Nick), and a few dear and cherished friends.

Esther was predeceased by her parents, brother and sisters, and a host of family-like friends.

Born in 1937 in England, Esther’s first decade was in a pub her family ran. The hubbub of people and personalities that she grew up around perhaps set the stage for the future she created. Her family of 7 was disbursed after the death of her father when she was just 13 years old, and her strength of character and independence were already showing as she specifically chose where to live out her school years.

One of her first big jobs was with a travel agency in Scotland. That most certainly was the spark that led her to love travel. At only 20 years of age, she ventured to Canada on her own and landed a job as an air hostess with Canadian Pacific Airlines. She travelled around the world and lived the high life in Vancouver’s west end. Esther also found time to tread the boards in live theatre productions from Metro to Dunbar theatres in Vancouver, as she had done at high school in Britain.

After retiring from being an air hostess with Canadian Airlines, Esther met and married John White. Along with that package came his six-year-old daughter, Adrienne. Despite the challenges that often come with an instant family, she went boldly forward into becoming a wife and mother. Over the years, Esther was deeply involved with the church, particularly Christ Church Cathedral where she sang in the choir, and eventually at Holy Rosary where she also shared her vocal prowess in the choir. Later she joined Minoru Seniors’ Glee Club where she had good fun and enjoyed the members and the seniors’ homes where they sang 

Despite ‘retiring’, she continued to work with Leisure Services in Richmond, then in the office at Hillside Secondary school in West Vancouver, then as a co-owner of Principle Organ Studio. After selling that business, she continued working in jewellery stores while volunteering in her community at the Richmond Hospital and at the Vancouver International Airport. That led to yet another position where she worked with a team to greet people, get them settled in their hotel, then get them to their cruise ship. She loved to step up on the tour bus in front of the often disgruntled and grumpy travellers, and through her spirit and humour, get them all laughing and ready for a great holiday. She was ‘old school’ when it came to customer service and really knew how to do it up right.

Esther loved to sing and to dance. She loved music and theatre, watching them, and being involved with them. She also enjoyed watching the news, and in her younger years, boxing. And it must be said again … she loved her shelties! Esther did well at most everything she set her mind to. She made a difference in so many lives, and in so many areas of life. This can’t possibly capture all that she has done, the differences that she has made and the adventures that she had, but she valued the people she met, the dear friends she had, her family and those cherished friends who were like family. 

She was a force of nature and will be deeply missed.

A celebration of life will follow in mid-October at St. Albans Anglican Church in Richmond, BC. **We invite you to email for information on the memorial service: ForEstherW@gmail.com**

Please also feel free to leave a message or a fun story below. A note of thanks: Esther’s daughter wants to acknowledge and thank Esther's steadfast and devoted friend Gail Montague who went above and beyond, especially in the last few years. Thanks also to the staff at Minoru Residence and Fraserview Retirement Community.