Esther Dorothy Avery

Obituary Esther Dorothy Ocheltree Avery Born November 4, 1915 Died September 10, 2006 Esther Ocheltree Avery, longtime Tacoma resident, died peacefully at the age of 90. Born to a South Dakota farming family in Mitchell, South Dakota , she earned a teaching certificate and subsequently taught elementary school in California, Michigan and Washington. She moved to Tacoma with her husband, Dr. William E. Avery after World War II, and established a home on North Yakima where she lived for than 57 years. An interest in collecting and growing rhododendrons let Esther and Bill to join in the development of the Rhododendron Species Foundation on the Weyerhauser Campus in Auburn, WA and to establish Olalla Evergreen Gardens at Olalla, WA. The corresponded with growers in Europe, Japan and Australia, t rading seeds, cuttings and information. Each spring hundreds of their rhododendrons and azaleas continue to bloom at Olalla and locations around the world including the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, WA. After her husband's death in 1981 through the summer of 2005, Esther continued to actively promote interest in rhododendrons and azaleas by developing educational materials and distributing thousands of plants she had propagated or started from seeds. Averys were members of the American Rhododendron Society, UW Arboretum Society, the Rhododendron Species Foundation, the Pacific Northwest Rhododendron Society, Farm Forestry Association, and Tacoma Elks #174. She is survived by her children: Dorothy A. (Jerry) Matthews, Bainbridge Island, WA., Julie M. (Michael) Reifel, Silverton, OR., James E. Avery, Issaquah, WA; grandchildren: Gretchen Matthews Hudgins, Paula Matthews Fillingham, Jessica Avery, Michelle Avery, Sara Ross and great grandchildren, Steven Matthews Bergland and Tara Bergland. A private graveside service is scheduled at Calvary Cemetery, Friday, September 15, 2006, at 2:00 pm. A celebration of Esther's life will be scheduled at a later date. Memorials may be sent to the Bloedel Reserve, 7571 NE Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, or to Franciscan Hospice and Palliative Care, 2901 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, WA 98466.