Ida Mae Absher passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family, on June 17, 2025. Just months earlier, she had joyfully celebrated her 94th birthday with her children and grandchildren.

Born Ida Mae Smith on March 21, 1931, in Alma, Arkansas, to LaFayette and Ola Mae (McClatchy) Smith, she was the fifth of six children. After graduating from Alma High School at 18, she moved to Shafter, California, with her mother and two younger sisters. There she worked for her grandfather, William Robert McClatchy, weighing cotton and managing payroll—an early testament to her sense of responsibility and strength. It was in Shafter that she met the love of her life, Marcus S. Absher. They married on February 18, 1950.

Marcus pursued a career in carpentry, and together they built their home on Rodriguez Avenue on the outskirts of Shafter, where they raised four children and created a household full of love, service, and tradition. Ida remained in the family home until 2024, when a fall prompted her move into the home of her daughter Marsha and son-in-law Cliff Ford.

A woman of unwavering faith, Ida was raised in Concord Southern Baptist Church in Van Buren, Arkansas, and remained a lifelong Southern Baptist. After settling in Shafter, she became a devoted member of Shafter First Southern Baptist Church in the early 1950s. There she taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and helped organize church dinners. Outside the church, Ida led Camp Fire Girls, served as a Room Mother, and was an active member of the American Legion Women's Auxiliary where she worked the Fourth of July fireworks booths and Memorial Day programs—playing a key role in establishing the Veteran's Memorial Wall at Shafter Cemetery.

Ida also served as a nurse's aide at Shafter Convalescent Home and later became a trusted in-home caregiver for several local seniors. She gave tirelessly of herself, always putting others' comfort and dignity first.

She delighted in the simple joys of life: sewing, crocheting with her sister Dorothy, hosting tea parties with her daughters and granddaughters, shopping together for special moments, and making apricot jam and cobblers from her backyard tree. Her family claims she made the best fried chicken and potato salad. She was the heart of her family, attending every school event, game, and celebration with unwavering pride and joy.

A devoted Dodgers fan from the days of the Brooklyn broadcasts, Ida rarely missed a game. She also proudly cheered on the San Francisco 49ers—smiling at the coincidence that she graduated in 1949.

Ida was preceded in death by her husband, Marcus, in 1986; her son, Marcus Eugene "Gene" Absher, in 2024; and all of her siblings. She is survived by her daughters Marsha (Cliff) Ford, Carla Luchetti (Hans) Duus, and Cynthia (Dan) Scheil; her grandchildren Stephanie Payne, Joseph Payne, Valarie (Anton) Labrentz, Nicklaus Luchetti, Robert Absher, Colin Scheil, and Peter Scheil; and her great-grandchildren Brian, Steven, and Audrey McPhetridge; Joy Ann, Jason, Lucas, and Lily Payne; and Charlotte and William Labrentz.

Her legacy of faith, compassion, and unconditional love will live on through the many lives she touched.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Hoffmann Hospice, especially Ashley, Erin, and April, for their gentle care and support.

A graveside service celebrating Ida's life will be held on June 27th at 10:00 AM at Shafter Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Hoffmann Hospice, Bakersfield.