euskalkultura.eus

19/09/2025 - McMinnville, Oregon, EEUU

(publicado en Tualatin Valley Funeral Alternatives)

Esthér Pilar Lipke, age 63, of McMinnville, Oregon, passed away on September 19, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones.

Esthér was born on October 12, 1961, in Burns, Oregon, to Alatzne and Sabino Barainca. She grew up in Burns and graduated from Burns Union High School in 1979. She continued her education at Willamette University, where she earned a double major in Economics and Spanish in 1983 and played on the volleyball team.

For nearly three decades, Esthér dedicated her professional life to the McMinnville School District, where she impacted countless students. In her most recent position at McMinnville High School, she served as a College and Career Counselor, guiding students with wisdom, compassion, and unwavering support as they planned their futures.

Esthér was deeply proud of her Basque heritage, which was a defining part of her life. She loved to share her Basque culture with others through stories, traditions, and food, and she made many cherished trips to the Basque Country with her family to visit her uncle, aunt, and cousins. These journeys connected her to her roots and filled her with joy.

Esthér shared a lifelong love story with her husband, Michael Lipke. The two met at the age of 16 as high school sweethearts at Burns Union High School, and their bond only grew stronger over the years. They were married for 41 years, building a life filled with laughter, shared adventures, and deep devotion to one another and their family.

Family was the heart of Esthér’s life. She was a devoted mother to her daughters, Makaela Stocker; husband Mark, and Elyse Lipke; husband Grant Wyatt. She cherished being an Amuma to her granddaughters, Page Stocker and Wren Wyatt, who brought her immeasurable joy. Esthér is also survived by her sister, Rose Colbern, her brother-in-law Matt Colbern, and their children Madison and Patxi; wife Lindsay, daughters Alma and Tessa. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alatzne and Sabino Barainca.

Esthér had many passions that brightened her days and those around her. She poured her creativity and love into every holiday, delighting her family and friends with festive meals and beautiful decorations. She enjoyed tackling home projects, had a soft spot for 99-cent paperback romance novels, and loved cozy evenings by the fire watching her favorite classic mystery shows like Murder, She Wrote and Matlock. Above all, her greatest passion was being with her family — whether at big celebrations or quiet everyday moments, she treasured every opportunity to be together.

Esthér’s warmth, humor, and devotion will be deeply missed, but her love will live on in the hearts of her family, friends, and the many people in the community whose lives she touched.

A celebration of Esthér’s life will be held at 1:00 pm on October 12, 2025 at The Ground at Stillwater in McMinnville, OR. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to a scholarship in Esthér’s name. Please send any donations via cash or check (payable to McMinnville High School) to:

McMinnville High School
Attn: Scholarship Coordinator
615 NE 15th Street
McMinnville, OR 97128

Celebration of Life Service
Sunday, October 12, 2025
1:00PM - 4:00PM
The Ground at Stillwater
455 NE Irvine St.
McMinnville, OR 97128

Gugan Bego (GB) - May she Rest in Peace