"Fun - Fancy - Fabulous!" 
Fashionable Accessories from the Esther Decker Collection

The Dacotah Prairie Museum (DPM) presented “Fun-Fancy-Fabulous! Fashionable Accessories from the Esther Decker Collection” , a show featuring the beautiful jewelry and accessories that defined their owner, Esther Decker, a retired elementary teacher. For as long as she can remember, Esther has enjoyed finding unique pieces of jewelry to compliment her wardrobe both professional and social. She chose brightly colored, whimsical pieces to engage the imaginations of her fifth grade students and high quality gemstone, gold and silver pieces for more formal occasions. Esther has amassed a wonderful collection of jewelry, although is the first to say she’s not a collector in the traditional sense. She isn’t always searching for a new piece as “collectors” do; but she does add pieces when she finds something that she would enjoy wearing. Over the past few years, Esther has donated most of her accessories to the DPM where she feels it will be enjoyed in various ways-either in exhibits or programs. Nearly 400 pieces of jewelry and the hats, gloves, handbags, eyewear, and shoes comprising Esther’s accessory wardrobe filled the Lamont Gallery and several cases on the Museum’s second floor landing.

Esther Schmidt was born and raised in North Dakota. After graduating from high school, she attended the State Normal and Industrial School in Ellendale (a branch of the University of North Dakota) to attain a teaching certificate. After several years of teaching, she returned to college and received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from what is now Northern State University.

Esther began her teaching career in Ashley, North Dakota and for the next 38 years taught in schools in Illinois, North Dakota and South Dakota. In 1956 she began teaching fifth grade at Henry Neill School in Aberdeen and retired from that position in 1985 when her health forced her to give up her beloved classroom.

Esther met her future husband, Eugene Decker, when returning home to North Dakota after spending a summer in California during World War II. He was on leave from the Navy and boarding the same eastbound train as Esther. After a two year courtship, the couple married in San Francisco on June 12, 1945. Upon Eugene’s discharge from the Navy in 1946, they moved to Aberdeen to establish their home. Eugene passed away in 1991; Esther continues to reside in the city.

During their time in the community, both Esther and Eugene were involved in many community clubs and organizations. Esther is a member of the First United Methodist Church where she is active in the Altar Guild. She also shared her time and interest with the American Association of University Women, The South Dakota Education Association, and the Retired Teachers. Esther is a member of the Phi Delta Kappa Honorary Society. In 1982 she served as Queen of the Aurora Temple #39 of the Daughters of the Nile and has been an active member of Minerva Chapter #5 Order of the Eastern Star since 1945. Esther was the first woman in this area to be sworn into the local chapter of the United States Naval Reserve in 1946. She was featured in the 1990-1991 edition of “Who’s Who in the Midwest of America.”

For information on past exhibits in the Lamont Gallery, please click here.