Esther Osborn Isaak

A beautiful soul peacefully returned to her heavenly home on Wednesday morning, August 21st while resting in tender loving hands and care. Esther Elvira Osborn was born October 24, 1932, in Yale, ID, to George Harold Osborn and Jenny Lois (Sayre) Osborn. Esther was hard-working and dedicated her life to her family and farm. She lived a long and wonderful life.

For those who knew Esther, she learned and understood the significance of a hard work ethic on the farm. She was defined by her faith and her family. Growing up in the 30s, she had lived through many experiences including milking cows and caring for chickens in order to deliver milk and eggs door to door for their families’ living. This was how life was and she did what was needed. This work ethic followed her all of her life, and proved especially helpful when she was a young adult creating a life with a young man, Raymond Isaak.

Raymond and Esther were married December 28th, 1951. They started their family and their ranch on a road now called Isaak Lane. When the state wanted to bring in I-86, Raymond and Esther had the choice to uproot or deal with the situation, and they chose to deal with it and continued to put down deeper roots. Their family grew when LaMar was born in 1953, and then six years later added Duane to the family. They lived in a small cinder block home with two rambunctious boys without indoor plumbing or much at all, and did so while expanding the farm. They partnered in everything they did, and once they could afford it, built their own home from a pre-cut home kit with their own hands. Esther would share later with grandchildren how she would lay the mortar and Raymond would set the bricks to their forever home.

When Raymond passed away in 1980, Esther committed herself even more to her boys and her farm. LaMar (and Violet) and Duane worked with their mother to not only sustain what she and Raymond had started, but to help further farm expansion. Esther saw many changes in her life, and some major ones were transition from horse/implement farm work on dry farm, to open-air equipment, to huge air-conditioned machines on irrigated fields. 

Every spring and fall Esther would be found in a tractor (open cab years ago to air conditioned today), in a field, tilling like her ancestors did. Every harvest season, Esther would be found in a truck, delivering the harvest that was sowed in the spring or previous fall. Every birthday was found in a truck as the timing just wasn’t convenient to sugar beet harvest. Until a year ago, Esther was the maestro in how the farm operated and was instrumental in guiding her boys to whom they are today.

Esther and her mother Jennie knew how to raise a garden; both for sustenance and for beauty. They both had 1-acre gardens that supplied a significant amount of the church family, if not the county. Her flower garden was significant and observed from I-86. Esther knew how to can fruit and vegetables and was found to be crocheting and knitting when not in a tractor doing field work, or during a winter evening (if her bookkeeping was caught up). She had several pets throughout her life but she loved her belted cows the most, especially the calves as this allowed her to watch them graze in her pasture next to her home. 

Esther was an avid church-goer and supporter of the church and as of recent was known to be an active listener of Jimmy Swaggert since getting out of the home was a much more difficult task.

Esther is survived by her son, LaMar Isaak of American Falls; grandson, Conrad (Adriane) Isaak of American Falls, granddaughter, RaNae (Ron Patberg) Isaak of Columbus, IN, great-grandson Asher Isaak of American Falls, and several nieces and nephews. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, George and Jenny Osborn, her husband, Raymond Isaak, her brother Melvin Lewis Osborn, her sister Minnie Lois (Osborn) Thomas, son Duane Harvey Isaak, and her daughter-in-law Violet Isaak.

Well done full and faithful servant. 

Visitation will be from 9-10 am on August 31st, at American Falls Christian Fellowship at 329 Harrison Street, American Falls. The funeral service will immediately follow at 10:00 a.m. at American Falls Christian Fellowship, with Pastor Steve Isaak and Pastor Elden Isaak officiating. Burial followed at Falls Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to Power County Senior Center, 180 Idaho St, American Falls for benefit to meal delivery. Please include on the check memo “In honor of Esther Isaak”. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared, and the funeral viewed live at DavisRoseMortuary.com.

To watch the service live, CLICK HERE (the video will begin approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the service).