Esther Mae Knickerbocker

Esther Mae Knickerbocker MARION-Esther Mae Knickerbocker, 77, of Marion passed away at 9:54 PM, Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion. Funeral services will be held at 7:00 PM, Monday, March 29, 2010 at Blue Funeral Home in Marion with Reverend John Burnett officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 PM, until the time of the service on Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society; envelopes are available at the funeral home or may be sent c/o Blue Funeral Home, PO Box 411, Marion, IL 62959. Esther was born on April 14, 1932 in Bedford, Indiana to Leith and Bertha Pauline (Pace) Davis. She married Roger Cliff Knickerbocker in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1959. Two children were born of their marriage, Cliff Leith Knickerbocker and his wife, Jackie and Roget Kerstein and her husband, Jason. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Ryan Baird Mocaby, Meesha Mocaby and Noah Lee Kerstein; one great granddaughter, Addison Marie Hess; her loving partner of 33 years, Frank L. White; and other extended family, special friends, and benefactors of her great generosity. For nearly 50 years, she was highly successful as both employee and employer in the mining, trucking and construction industries. She was co-owner and/or Chief Financial Officer of Basin Cream Coal, R and N Mining, Elkville Mining, Harger Mining, and Panama Recycling Company. After the untimely death of her husband, Roger, she partnered with Mr. Frank L. White. During their time together she continued her business career as CFO of White Equipment Corporation, Central Mining Corporation, and Effanee Enterprises, retiring shortly before her death. She was blessed with exceptional talent and intellect and was widely recognized for her knowledge and expertise in the stock and bond markets, derivative securities, economics, and current events. In her later years, she traveled extensively to compete-with a great deal of success-in local, regional, and national poker tournaments, particularly in Tunica, Mississippi and Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sister, Rose Marie Kelley and her brother, Jerry Lee Davis.