Esther Tye Smith

Esther Tye Smith died March 1, 2010, a few months before her 100th birthday. She was born July 26, 1910 in Kansas City, MO to Ida & Earl Tye but grew up in Parsons, Kansas where she started playing the violin at age 9. After graduating from Parsons’ schools, she attended Parsons Jr. College and received a B.S. in music from Kansas State Teacher’s College, Pittsburg. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Music at Northwestern University. Following graduation, she taught music in public schools in Missouri and Kansas, then moved to Kirkland, WA in 1943. She taught orchestra and chorus and was an inspiration to many students at Lake Washington High School, and later became music supervisor for Lake Washington School District. In Kirkland she met her husband, Nathan Leighton Smith and his two daughters. Esther and Leighton married in 1950. After retiring, they moved to Guemes Island, where she lived until 1985, when she returned to Kirkland. In 1993 she moved to Emerald Heights Retirement Community in Redmond. Esther was a charter member of the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, where she played for 38 years. An annual award is given in her name by the Philharmonic. Additionally, she played Chamber Music and taught private lessons.She was a member of the Business and Professional Women’s Club in Kirkland, WA and directed the choir at Kirkland Congregational Church. Esther is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brother, William Tye, her step-daughter Barbara Ratcliffe, son-in-law Ronald Ratcliffe, and great-granddaughter Brittney Albright. She is survived by her step-daughter, Virginia Sherwood (Wade) of Oakland, CA, 6 grandchildren, 10 great-grand-children and 3 nephews. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Saturday,March 20th at 2 p.m. at Emerald Heights (10901 – 176th Circle NE Redmond,WA). Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be given to Seattle Children’s Hospital (4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105), Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra (P.O. Box 177, Seattle, WA 98111) or Emerald Heights Benevolence Fund (10901 176th Circle NE, Redmond, WA 98052) or a charity of your choice.