KESTER, Orlea M. (1926-2018)

KESTER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 1/30/2019 at 00:18:28

Orlea Myrtle Kester
(June 25, 1926 - December 24, 2018)

Orlea Myrtle (Hagan) Kester, 92, of rural Carlisle, Iowa, passed away on Monday, December 24, 2018, at Kavanagh House in Des Moines, Iowa. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, December 29 at Grace Evangelical Free Church of Indianola with burial following at the Palmyra Cemetery.
Orlea was born on June 25, 1926, near Cainsville, Missouri to Coy V. and Myrtle (Robbins) Hagan. She received her elementary education at Hickory Grove School, Cainsville, Missouri, and graduated from Princeton (Missouri) High School in 1944. She attended business college in Chillicothe, Missouri, and then worked as a secretary at Roy Craft Iowa, Des Moines. On February 20, 1949, she was united in marriage to Marvin W. Kester. To this union, three children were born—Janet, Kenneth and Roger.
Orlea worked alongside Marvin on the farm and was an excellent homemaker and mother. She enjoyed gardening, sewing and cooking. Orlea trusted Christ as her personal Savior at an early age. Blessed with a servant’s heart, she expressed her faith in Christ by serving her family and others. She was always active in her church, serving at various times as children’s church teacher, Sunday School secretary/treasurer, preparing Communion elements, and coordinating funeral dinners. Many were fond of her quiet, gentle spirit and appreciated her encouragement and friendship.
She leaves to mourn her passing her husband, Marvin, of rural Carlisle; her children, Janet (Bruce) Holen of Bertrand, Nebraska, Kenneth Kester of Carlisle and Roger (Kathy) Kester of rural Indianola, Iowa; one granddaughter, Alyssa (Ryan) Downing of Indianola, Iowa; and three great-grandchildren, Danny, Madalyn and Colton Downing. She is also survived by sister- and brother-in-law, Forrest and Marilyn McCleeary. She was preceded in death by her parents, Coy and Myrtle Hagan; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Durward and Linda Hagan and Edwin and Lena Hagan; and her parents-in-law, George and Beulah Kester.
Visitation will be held 4 to 8 p.m., Friday, December 28 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be given to Grace Evangelical Free Church or Every Step Kavanagh House in Des Moines.
This memorial is provided by Overton Funeral Home, 501 West Ashland Ave., Indianola, Iowa, http://www.overtonfuneral.com/