Esther Kelley Sinclair

Oct. 29, 1924 - Apr. 19, 2015 Esther Kelley Sinclair, 90, of Troutman, went to be with the Lord on April 19, 2015. Esther Sinclair was born on October 29, 1924 in Milledgeville, Ga. She attended La Grange College and married Ralph Sinclair on November 8, 1945. She spent her early years as a "stay at home" mom raising three children. At the age of 45, she began her career as an educator in Troutman, serving the Iredell County Schools for 30 years, ending in her retirement at the age of 75. For 63 years, she was a faithful member of New Perth A.R.P. Church in Troutman and was involved in many church and civic activities. In 2010, she was honored by the Troutman Town Council by being selected as the Troutman "Citizen of the Year." She was a very caring person, always putting others first. Her faith, commitment, dedication to her family, church and friends, and her will to live served as an inspiration for all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Sinclair. Also preceding her in death were her father and mother, the Rev. and Mrs. J. K. Kelley and sister, Rachael Gregg. Surviving are her sons, Dr. Joe Sinclair and his wife, Claryce, of Statesville and Roy Sinclair and his wife, Nancy, of Huntersville; daughter, Jean Sinclair Vance and her husband, Frank, of Newland; grandchildren, Stephen (Allison) Sinclair of Fort Mill, SC, Jennifer (Steve) Shreffler of Mills River, Dr. Kelley Vance (Rev. Father Robert) Lawrence of Mooresville, and Dr. John Frank (Lisa) Vance of Johnson City, Tn; eleven great-grandchildren; sister, Ruth Grant of Lovejoy, Georgia, and numerous nieces, nephews, and special friends. Following a private graveside burial, there will be a Celebration of Life memorial service at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, 825 Wesley Dr. in Statesville with the Revs. Danny Leonard and Robert Sherer officiating. The family will receive friends at the church immediately following the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, NC 28625 or Gideons at Avery Gideons, P.O. Box 92, Newland, NC 28657. The family wishes to thank Mrs. Sinclair’s caregivers from Brookdale Peachtree, Home Instead, and Hospice of Iredell County.