Esther Castellow, 100, of Sublime, passed away March 21, 2023, with her daughter and granddaughters by her side.  She was born December 13, 1922 on the "home place" north of Sublime, Texas to the late Clark and Esther Kelley Brooks.  During her youth, the Sublime native worked cattle with her dad, enjoyed riding horses and fondly told stories about putting on riding pants under her dresses to ride her horse to school.  Of course, once reaching school, she was required to be wearing the dress only-no pants allowed for female students.  She also told fun stories about helping her father Clark Brooks round up cows as well as the story of how she bought her first cow at age 17 for $17.

Another favorite story Esther enjoyed sharing was the one about how she and her sister Johnnie, were designated as their siblings' babysitters.  When Esther was 6 years old, their mother gave birth to twins.  The story goes that she and her sister were each given the thrill of selecting which twin they wanted to care for/babysit.  Johnnie being the oldest got first choice and selected the girl twin Jannie Lucille; thus, Esther was to care for James Howard, the son.  Johnnie was excited because she was to care for the little girl twin while Esther the little boy.  As the babysitting began, Johnnie discovered that Jannie cried continually while James Howard was quiet and content.  The big battle began, Johnnie wanted to trade babies, but Esther never gave up her brother and kept babysitting the quiet content baby boy.  There was always laughter among the siblings when the story was told.

Esther graduating from Hallettsville High School in 1941, and later she attended Baldwin Business College in Yoakum.  Her first job was secretary/bookkeeper for J.H. Landrey Car Dealership in Yoakum.  On October 10, 1945, she married O.C. Castellow from Hope, Texas. Then she and O.C.  moved to Freeport, Texas where she worked as secretary/bookkeeper for Freeport Sulfur Company.  While in Freeport her first child, Ronald Dean, was born.  From Freeport, the family moved back to the Castellow home place and farmed in Hope, Texas.  In 1951, Esther, O.C. and Ronald moved to Point Comfort, Texas where O.C. worked for Alcoa for 32 years.  In 1954, Connie Jean was born.  While the family lived in Point Comfort, Esther was an active member of the Point Comfort Baptist Church serving as secretary/treasurer as well as officers in the local Parent Teacher Association.  Furthermore, because of her dedication to children, classroom teachers selected her to serve as room mother for both of her children during the 1950's and 1960s.  Later Esther was the Point Comfort Texas City Secretary from 1970-1983, before retiring and moving back to the Hallettsville area where she was reared as a child and later adolescent.

A model housewife of the "fifties," Esther was a fabulous housekeeper, seamstress, and cook.  Her family teasing stated one could eat from her floors if they wanted because her house was so clean.  Sunday after-church-lunch was always pot roast or fried chicken with gravy, mashed potatoes, with carrots and green beans.  The meal was always completed with cake or pie for dessert.

Every summer the family went on vacation to New Braunfels at Camp Warnecke, where Schlitterbahn is now.  They would swim, sight see and then spend one day at the then famous Comal Cottons.  The entire day was set aside for Esther to shop for material to purchase for sewing clothes for the family to wear all year long.  Her skill as a seamstress was evident in the hand-crafted shirts, she sewed for her son Ronald.  He always had new home stitched shirts which could pass for "store bought" but the handmade were even better.  Connie's home created dresses made her one of the best dressed little girls in Point Comfort Elementary School.

Esther loved to cook and bake, with pecan pies being the favorite of all.  At family reunions there was always a "race '' to the pastry table to make sure relatives got pieces of her specialty.  Her pecan pies were always the first to be consumed.  Among her favorite pastimes was to bake special birthday cakes for her family.  She enjoyed planting and taking care of her garden.  The family received many vegetables that she gladly canned and was happy to give away to all.  Another favorite pastime was picking pecans for her pecan pies.  She thoroughly enjoyed watching television while "picking out" pecans.  Many gallons of pecans were given to her daughter-in-law as well as saving some for herself for her famous pecan pies.

After retirement, O.C. and Esther moved back to Hallettsville.  Her favorite past times were church, family, and being outside.  She was a member of the Sublime Baptist Church in Sublime, Texas.  She loved visiting and babysitting her grandchildren Cara Brook and Cadee Blaine.  As the girls grew and became active in school activities, "Grandma Esther" was an important audience member.  An avid fan, she thrilled at putting on the maroon and gray to cheer on the Brahmas and Lady Brahmas in both football and girls basketball and softball.  In her later years, she gave up her horse for a four-wheeler.  A great outdoors person, she loved deer hunting in the fall.  Even during her 90's she would sit in her chair in the kitchen and marvel at the deer as they came to the deer feeder in the yard.

Esther is survived by:  daughter Connie Jean Castellow; granddaughters, Cara Brook Castellow Shockley (Jake) and Cadee Blaine Castellow; her sister-in-law Tonie Sitka Brooks; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Esther was preceded in death by:  her parents Clark & Esther Brooks; husband O.C. Castellow; son Ronald Dean Castellow; brothers, James (Bill) Hartt, Raymond Brooks and James Howard Brooks; sisters, Johnnie Brooks Aldis and Jannie Lucille Brooks Pustejovsky.

The family would like to thank the staff at Lavaca Medical Center as well as the staff at Stevens Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for the excellent care and service they provided while Esther was a patient.  A sincere thank you is also extended to Crown Hospice.  A special thank you is extended to Dr. Maurice Wilkinson and her staff for always being there with continued care and concern for Esther's health and wellbeing.

Funeral Service: 11 am, Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Sublime Baptist Church of Sublime, Texas; with Visitation starting at 10 am; and a lunch in fellowship hall following her burial at Willow Creek Cemetery. Pallbearers: Howard Wayne Brooks, Tommy Parks, Ralph Aldis, Everett Marshall, Larry Koerth, Danny Russell, Charlie Meadows, and Leroy Cagle. Honorary pallbearers: Dan Hairell, Forrest T. Kroschel Sr, and Lee Koerth. Officiate: Rev. Jeremy Kraatz. Memorials: Donor's Choice.