Mrs. Esther Rivera Batoon Turner was born on November 26, 1926, in Dingras, llocos Norte, Philippines.  She died on April 4, 2023, at the Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

She was predeceased by her husband, George Welborn Turner, her parents, Canuto and Esperanza Rivera Batoon, two brothers and three sisters.

She is survived by her son, Eric Michael Turner and her sister, Rosella Ballesteros in the Philippines.

Esther's father was a minister and the first Protestant missionary in the Apayao region of the Philippines. He, along with her brother Reuben, who was also a minister, greatly influenced her Christian life. The Batoons were a musically gifted family who could often be heard joyfully singing hymns together. Esther was dedicated to singing in church and living her life for the Lord. Being aptly named for Queen Esther, the only female queen in the Bible, Esther lived faithfully and impacted others using the blessings God gave her.

During the occupation of the Philippines, when she was fourteen, Esther was grateful to have survived malaria as well as the war. She was in high school when WWIl broke out, thus her schooling was delayed. Esther started nursing school in Manila when she was twenty-six, then spent eleven days on a ship to the United States to join her brother Reuben at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth to continue college. She received her BSN from TCU in 1950.

Esther and George met in September, 1959, in Tabriz, Iran when she was working in the nursery of a mission hospital there and he was working as a construction manager for a military camp building for J.A. Jones Construction Co. They were married June 13, 1960, at a church in Tabriz with the reception in the minister's backyard filled with beautiful flowers, and they honeymooned on the Caspian Sea.

George served in the U.S. Army after he graduated from high school, so both Esther and George were very proud that their son, Eric, made the decision to also serve our country with a career in the U.S. Army as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot and later a flight instructor. Esther asked all her friends to pray for him and was a firm believer that all those prayers brought Eric back safely from his deployments. 

Due to George's work, much of which was construction management for U.S. Embassies, they enjoyed travelling and living all over the world including Iran, Bogotá Colombia, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and Beijing China. Esther loved all the lifelong friends they made through George's work, through her singing in church choirs and also playing tennis everywhere they lived. 

Building their home in River Hills in Lake Wylie SC was a dream come true, and they were thankful to make their permanent home there in 1983. Esther loved singing in the choir at River Hills Community Church, and participating in the activities of River Hills Country Club, especially tennis. Her circle of choir and tennis friends continued to mean so much to her even after her "retirement" at age 90!

Many delicious Asian meals were enjoyed by countless friends around their beautiful table as she loved to entertain in their lovely home. George served on the River Hills Community Association Board and was responsible for designing and building the first columbarium in the River Hills/Lake Wylie Cemetery, where they purchased the first niche. Esther was so grateful for her life in River Hills and counted her blessings daily that she had so many happy years there.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service, officiated by Rev. Dr. Bob Jack, will be held at Community Church at Lake Wylie on Friday, April 28th at 3:00pm, followed by a reception for friends. Inurnment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts to honor Esther may be made to Community Church at Lake Wylie, Music Ministry, 104 Hamilton's Ferry Rd., Lake Wylie SC 29710.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.