Esther Irene (Clemishaw) Peltola, 92, of Middleboro, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2021 at the Hannah B.G. Shaw Home. She was the wife of the late Edwin H. Peltola and the daughter of the late Walter and Viola (Maxim) Clemishaw of Rochester.
Esther was born in Wareham and raised in Rochester. She attended Rochester and Wareham public schools. She was proud of her rural roots in Rochester, W. Wareham and S. Middleboro. Ever thoughtful and accepting of others, she cherished many lifelong friendships and loving relationships with her siblings, in-laws, and many nieces and nephews. Like many of the “Greatest Generation,” Esther went to work at McLellans Five & Dime store to help support her family. Before she married, she worked for several years as a telephone operator for New England Telephone. She married Edwin and together they raised four daughters on Gault Rd in W. Wareham during a time when neighborliness was the norm. She forever cherished those memories and the friendships she had made. To all her children she passed along a love for music and dancing.
Esther loved to swim and would reminisce about time spent at Blackmore Pond, Mary’s Pond and Sampson’s Pond. She and her husband purchased family cranberry bogs in S. Middleboro and built a new home there. They later formed Big Rock Farm, Inc. Esther enjoyed taking care of her home and living the farming life. She never shied away from a hard days’ work. She enjoyed her country lifestyle, taking walks around the bogs and just getting together for a cup of coffee. She was always delighted to hear about the lives of her many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Esther always had a smile, was a wonderful role model and was there for her grandchildren growing up. They have wonderful memories to hold onto and will surely miss their “Gram.” Although quiet by nature she is fondly remembered for finding humor in ordinary experiences and for being “laugh-out-loud” funny with her equally lighthearted siblings. The world will miss her kind heart and gentle soul.
Survivors include her daughters Judy Stringer and husband Granny of W. Wareham, Carol Pierce of W. Wareham, Lori Peltola and husband Cliff Sylvia of Wareham, Cheryl Farrell and Keith Hollenbeck of Marion; her siblings, Alice Meier of Monument Beach, Charles “Bill” Clemishaw of Rochester, Florence MacPherson of Spokane, WA and Walter “Junie” Clemishaw of League City, TX; grandchildren Annette, Leanne, Nicky, Jessica, Katie and Matthew; great grandchildren Justin, Steve, Hannah, Owen, Olivia, Delaney, Mackenzie, Jeffrey, Quincy, Joey, Kinley and Connor. She was predeceased by brother Wallace Clemishaw, sister Phyllis Leconte, sons-in-law Walter Pierce and Mike Farrell.
Due to COVID restrictions, services will be private. Arrangements by Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, Wareham.
