Esther Lucille Russell Hendrick Riedl died July 1, 2025 aged 96 in Rochester, NY.  Esther was born in Cortland, NY in 1929 to Earl and Ethel Russell and was part of a large family with 2 brothers and 3 sisters.  She was a great student and was always proud to mention the fact that she skipped the fourth grade.  Esther enjoyed numerous extracurricular activities in High School including cheerleading, field hockey, drama club and choir.  Having graduated from Cazenovia High School, she moved to the "big city" of Rochester, NY to join her sister, Elva who was living there with her young family.  Esther met Bill Hendrick in Rochester and they married in 1951.  They had five children, and she is survived by four, Bill Jr., Dick (Nancy), Joe (Jane) and Jane (Scott) Nickerson along with several grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was predeceased by her son Jim.

Esther continued singing choral music and performed in the Rochester Oratorio Society, Rochester Bach Festival Choir and various church choirs.  She enjoyed many other hobbies too such as sewing, fishing, gardening and always, shopping.  She was a Cub Scout Den Mother and Girl Scout Leader.  She tried her hand at many jobs over the years which ranged from secretary to lunch lady and even school bus driver.  She retired from SUNY Brockport after working as a secretary to the chairman of the Dance Department for many years.

In 1990, Esther started a new chapter in her life when she married Ernie Riedl.  They spent many happy years together enjoying their Finger Lakes cottage, travels to Austria and their beloved Corgis, Annie and Nipper.  She is also survived by her stepdaughter, Mary (Mike) Barbero, and a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Esther's family would like to thank the wonderful caring staff at St. John's Home, along with Hospice of Rochester Regional Health, who cared for her so compassionately in her final days.  Memorial service will be held at a later date with interment at White Haven Memorial Park.

The family does not request any donations to be made in her name.  They encourage you to eat a cookie or a piece of chocolate (or both), or spend an afternoon thrifting in her honor.  In a world that seeks to standardize us, Esther dared to be wonderfully, unapologetically herself.  She will be missed.