Esther Birney, 90, of Washington, Iowa passed away peacefully Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at Halcyon House following a decline in health over the past few years.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 9, 2013 at the United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m. with Ilene Schnicker officiating. General calling hours will be held at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home from noon until 5:00 p.m. Friday. Visitation will be held from noon until 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church where the family will be present to receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. Burial will take place at the Elm Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the United Methodist Church, the Halcyon House Good Samaritan Fund, or Washington County 4-H. Online condolences may be sent for Esther's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com .

Harriett Esther Birney was born March 11, 1922 to Glenn G. and Ida (Vinton) Hayes in Washington, Iowa. She graduated from Washington High School in 1940 and attended Washington Junior College for one year followed by a year at Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa.

On July 19, 1944 Esther was married to James W. Birney in Washington, Iowa. After James was discharged from the Coast Guard during World War II, they resided and farmed northeast of Washington where they lived until May of 1998, when they moved to Halcyon House.

Esther was a member of the United Methodist Church where she served on many church committees and was Sunday School Librarian and Superintendent for many years. As a Teacher Associate with the Washington Community Schools, she worked with the special needs children. In later years, she worked at the Shearer and Tindal Law Office as a legal secretary.

Esther was very active in Extension and 4-H at the county and states levels. Family was important to her. Through the years, she enjoyed corresponding with friends and family, sharing flowers, sewing, and entertaining in their home. She was also a member of Fleur-de-Lis, the neighborhood club.

Surviving are her two children, David and wife Linda Birney; Margaret and husband Dan Stauffer, all of Washington, Iowa; one granddaughter: Christine and husband Trent Doonan of Winterset, Iowa; and one sister-in-law Martha Birney of Winfield, Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, an older infant brother, and her husband, James, who died April 14, 2001.