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"She Did Life Right"
by Nancy Kennedy

With those four simple words, spoken in a heartfelt eulogy, Amy Herrlich summed up the remarkable life of her grandmother, Esther Meissonier. Throughout her ninety years of living, Esther was a person who was fully alive, making the most of every opportunity and using her wealth of talents and gifts to enrich her own life and the lives of those who were fortunate enough to know her. Esther Meissonier loved life, and she did indeed “do life right.”

PEsther Meissonier 1925-2015

Esther Dosse was born in May, 1925 in Nottingham Township, and she died on September 10, 2015, in her beloved community of Venetia. In between those years, she filled her time on earth with a wide range of activities, always giving the best of herself to her family and community.

As a daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother, she had a strong sense of family – but she was always her own person, too. With an independent streak that was well ahead of her time, she pursued her own interests and did things that most women of her generation never even considered. She was a smart and accomplished businesswoman who worked as an accountant for her brother Victor’s business, Victor Dosse Contracting, continuing to work well beyond the usual age of retirement. She also served as secretary-treasurer for the Dosse Corporation, which constructed housing developments and other properties.

“My mother kept working until the end of her life,” says her son Jerry Meissonier. “She believed in staying active. At 90, she was still driving.” Mrs. Meissonier died of cancer on Thursday, September 10, 2015.

Esther was civic-minded, with a strong community spirit and a passion for historic preservation. She focused that interest on the Venetia Heritage Society, a non-profit that was formed in 1997 to preserve the former Venetia Elementary School that was erected in 1926 and is considered a historical treasure. Esther’s sons had attended that school as children, and she was one of the
local citizens who rallied to save it. She served as treasurer of the organization and one of its most active volunteers. The VHS purchased the building from the Peters Township School District and it is now known as the Venetia Community Center. It serves as a meeting place for various organizations, including the Girl Scouts, and provides a community “home” for special events, classes, parties and even church services. Her brother Victor was one of the initial donors who helped facilitate the purchase of the school building.

“Esther Meissonier was very important to the Venetia Heritage Society,” says Clayton Sphar, president of the organization. “She was one of the founders and was critical to our operations. As treasurer, she had a lot of responsibility and worked hard to keep this organization going. She took on all sorts of additional responsibilities; her death leaves a big hole here. She was a colleague, but also a neighbor and a friend. Esther was devoted to this community.”

Esther’s community spirit extended to her church community, too. A devout Catholic, she was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Finleyville.

Homemaker, businesswoman, volunteer, community champion, athlete, friend, baker, gardener, dancer, sports fan – Esther wore many hats and wore them all well. Above all, she was a matriarch – a mother and grandmother who was the emotional center and moral compass of her family. She was the mother of three sons – Jerry, Albert and Robert - a grandmother to four grandchildren and great grandmother to three.

Her granddaughter Amy remembers her with love and pride: “I can't even begin to describe how much she meant to us all. I feel lucky that she was able to meet my daughter, Adriana, who is only 7 weeks old. In a family full of men, she said we needed more women! She had the sweetest heart and a calm demeanor, but I think we can all attest that when she meant business... she meant business. She always managed to get her point across. She loved her family and was totally giving and unselfish. She was non-judgmental and loved us all despite our imperfections.”

She enjoyed dancing with the Washington County Senior Dance Troupe and enjoyed being outdoors for a good game of golf. Jerry Meissonier says that his mother believed in living a clean life, with no smoking or drinking, and that her attitude of optimism and joy probably contributed to her health and vitality.

Her entire life was a powerful message to her family. “My mother was an inspiration to us. What she was in life, she instilled in all of us, so we will continue her legacy of loving and caring and giving. My mother would do anything for anyone. She was admired and respected by everyone who knew her.”