Esther E. (Johnston) Capellen, 83, passed away due to natural causes on Friday, January 22, 2021, at Benefis Healthcare in Great Falls.  A visitation will be held for Esther from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at Holland & Bonine Funeral Home on Friday, January 29, 2021.  Funeral services and burial will be in Cody, Wyoming, under the direction of Ballard Funeral Home.  Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements in Havre.  Please visit Esther's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her family at www.hollandbonine.com .

Esther was born on August 3, 1937, in Basin, Wyoming, to Henry and May (Fowler) Johnston.  She was raised in Basin, graduating from Basin High School in 1955.  On April 15, 1966, Esther married H. Earl Capellen in Cody, and the couple made their home in Cody, where they raised their six children.  There, Esther worked hard caring for their home and family, and working outside the home as a waitress.  Earl passed away in 2003, and Esther moved to Havre to be near one of her sons in 2008.

Esther was a smart, funny, spunky lady who enjoyed reading, cross-stitch, plastic canvas work, sewing, and rodeos.  She loved to attend high school and college sporting events, cheering on her teams, and occasionally chastising the refs for their "abuse" of "her kids".  In Havre, she was a dedicated volunteer at Northern Montana Hospital, and in Cody, she was a member of the Eagles Auxiliary.

She was preceded in death by her husband H. Earl Capellen; parents, Sylvester and May Johnston; sister Alice Powers; sister-in-law, Nellie Capellen; and parents-in-law, Howard and Edith Capellen.

Esther is survived by her daughters, Peggy Cheatham of Powell, WY and Candi Tryon of Joliet, MT; sons, Jerry (Donna) Capellen of Lovell, WY, Charles (Michelle) Price of Douglas, WY, Harvey (Marianne) Capellen of Havre, MT, and Virgil (Cassie) Capellen of Cody, WY; seventeen grandchildren and several "grandchildren of the heart"; numerous great-grandchildren; brother, Walter (Mandalee) Johnson of Denver, CO; sister, Maybelle Parks of AltaDena CA, brother-in-law Virgil Auburn Capellen of Cottontown, TN; and numerous nieces and nephews.