Esther Anna (Wagoner) Littlechild, age 93, died peacefully on Thursday, January 6, 2022, at the Ellis Good Samaritan Society. She was born December 22, 1928, on the family farm southwest of Ellis in the Riverside Township of southeast Trego County, to Henry Grant and Rose Elizabeth (Colborg) Wagoner. She attended country school through the eighth grade at Maple Grove School, District 47, in Trego County.
She married William John (Jack) Littlechild on June 1, 1946. For the first seven years they lived on the farm where she was born. In 1953 they purchased a two-room house from a farm south of Ogallah and moved it along country roads to set it on a new foundation on otherwise bare pasture a mile north. They built onto that house and then the rest of their farm from the ground up. Esther helped with all the work building the farm; raising her family; harvesting crops; raising cows, pigs and chickens. In later years before they moved to Hays she cleaned houses for extra money. Many a homemade meal was prepared and served by her to family and friends in her kitchen. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted from the house to the road, watering the mouths of many passersby on her weekly bread making days. Jack always got the crust.
After moving from the farm to Hays in 1990, she enjoyed meeting with friends, new and old, at Hays Mealsite, Hays Public Library Feed And Film sessions, and then catching up on the news in various area newspapers there. She loved touring various historical and scenic areas on local senior bus tours and more extended trips with family and friends. She made many trips to the little house on the farm to find peace and quiet until it was sold in 2006. Her eyes teared up at the tune of Home On The Range and the farm legal description “the west half of 25-14-21.” Country is where her heart was.
Esther enjoyed music, singing, quilting, embroidery, toothbrush handle rug making, gardening and traveling. She was a member of Hays Gospel Singers for years, singing with the group as long as her health allowed. She laughed and cried with family and friends, told her history and stories about days long gone, copied and shared her stories and pictures, old and new. She enjoyed documenting all of her family photos, artifacts and family heirlooms. She was a history enthusiast with a wealth of information about the family genealogy, Trego and Ellis Counties, and other places where her ancestors settled. All you had to do was ask. She donated many historical items to the Trego County Historical Society, Ellis Railroad Museum and Ellis County Historical Society with her hand written stories attached.
She is survived by two daughters Annie Zachman and husband Darrell, Hays, and Brenda Flinn and husband Steve, Overland Park; a daughter-in-law Jeanette (Neal) Littlechild, Stella MO; three granddaughters Micah Kruckenburg and husband Casey, Amanda Dolechek and husband Luke, and Andrea Dinkel; one step-granddaughter Jerri Broom; three step-grandsons Gary Broom, Terry Broom, and Russell Flinn and wife Blair; and three step-great-grandchildren. She was survived by her brother, Otto Wagoner of Ellis, for one week, until his death on January 13.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband; one son, William Dennis Littlechild; and two half-brothers, Preston Berne Wagoner and Warren Grant Wagoner.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 April 9 at the Schmitt Funeral Home in WaKeeney KS, immediately followed by inurnment at the WaKeeney City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Trego County Historical Society, where most of her remaining stories and pictures will be donated; or Hays Public Library, which will be specifically designated for senior programs there. ontributions may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 N 12th St., WaKeeney, Kansas 67672.
Condolences may be left for the family by visiting www.schmittfuneral.com