317 Project: Celebrating their 'queen' at 90 as her memories fade

The 317 Project tells stories of life in all of Indianapolis’ vibrant neighborhoods – 317 words at a time.

Whatever Esther Williams believes is what she knows.

That’s what her neurologist told her family when she started to forget. They were finding things in the wrong places. Faces became a strain to recognize.

In 2017, Esther had a stroke. Her mind started to change and she was diagnosed with vascular dementia. Her daughters, Jerri McReynolds and Ellen Cavanaugh, manage her life.

Their matriarch needed them to care for her now.

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In one of the bedrooms in Jerri's house, they recreated Esther's apartment from when she lived alone. Esther still believes she lives alone, but comes for visits.

It's what Esther knows.

The sisters learned to adjust to her not knowing them well. It's little things that make Ellen emotional, like not being able to call her mom when she's upset.

On her 90th birthday, Esther is sitting in Jerri's living room with one hand tapping the sofa's armrest gently as she hums a melodic tune. She embodies elegance even sitting at her leisure.

She's quiet yet thoughtful. She will catch a joke and laugh or chime in when it feels right for her. And if she's in the mood, there might be a sassy clap back.

Esther is celebrated every day but on this sweltering June afternoon, there’s a vanilla cake decorated with purple flowers and a sign with balloons on the front lawn of a little yellow house in the Meadows neighborhood of the city's northeast side.

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Esther is petite with radiant skin and a warm smile to match. Her silver hair is pinned up with a crown — it's perfect for their "queen." One would never know she entered her 90th year.

The nonagenarian has loved and lost her soulmate, survived COVID-19, raised a family then watched them grow their own and she's praised God through all of it.

"Mom has led the way," Ellen said. "She has taught us everything that we know."

Contact IndyStar's general assignment reporter Rachel Fradette at rfradette@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter: @Rachel_Fradette.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 317 Project: Celebrating their Queen at 90 as her memories fade