Kesterson Burials
Potter Co TX Photo by Jeffrey Claytor at Find-A-Grave |
|
Kesterson, Margaret (Wagner) b. Sep. 8, 1906 d. Sep. 13, 2007 Margaret Wagner Kesterson, 101, formerly of Amarillo, died Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007, in Waco. Memorial celebration of life services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Polk Street United Methodist Church Chapel with the Rev. Marty Hamrick officiating. Private family burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street.. Mrs. Kesterson was born Sept. 8, 1906, in Protection, Kan., to John and Mary Wagner. Her father was a farmer and rancher, and the family lived in Alva, Okla., Hereford and Indiana. Mrs. Kesterson attended Indiana Central and Indiana University. She received a degree from the University of Illinois library school in 1931. After graduating from college, Mrs. Kesterson returned to Texas, where she worked as assistant librarian at the Potter County Library, which later became the Amarillo Public Library, from 1931 to 1937. She married Robert Andrew Kesterson on Dec. 18, 1933, in Amarillo. He was the owner of Security Abstract and Title Co. from 1941 to 1967. Bob and Margaret built the abstract and title company from scratch, spending long hours at the Potter County Courthouse copying title records. It was their labor of love and became a successful business that Bob operated until his illness forced the sale of the business. The Kestersons enjoyed 36 wonderful years together. Many happy hours were spent entertaining family and friends at their home on Parker Street. In later years, they took great pleasure in landscaping their home at Lake Tanglewood and sharing the lake with friends during an evening ride on their pontoon boat. Mrs. Kesterson enjoyed a wide range of civic, church and library-related activities. She was a dedicated member of Polk Street United Methodist Church, where she served as church librarian for 40 years and taught Sunday school for 60 years. She also served on the church's administrative board. She was the first president of Friends of the Amarillo Public Library and served on the library board. A scholarship funded by Mr. and Mrs. Kesterson purchases and loans textbooks to students at Amarillo College needing financial assistance to pursue nursing studies. She was a strong supporter of the Methodist Children's Home in Waco. Her membership in Chapter CV PEO was especially important to her. She was recognized as a 50-year member in 2005. She was also very active in AAUW, the Amarillo Garden Club, YWCA and the Amarillo Day Nursery, for which she was a board member. Mrs. Kesterson was a wise woman with astute business skills, a generous spirit and a keen intellect. She lived at Park Place Towers and Craig Retirement Center, where she maintained the friendships she had made when she moved to Amarillo as a young woman, and made many new friends.
Mrs. Kesterson enjoyed a long full life, gracefully accepting the aging process while adapting to new situations with a positive spirit.
She chose to move to Waco in 2003 to be closer to her nephew, Fred Wheeler, and his wife, Glenda. She was welcomed into their daily life and enjoyed many happy times with the family, especially her surprise 100th birthday party and her 101st celebration less than two weeks ago.
She was preceded in death by her husband on Jan. 1, 1968. Survivors left to cherish her memories include a sister, Helen Tudor, of Indianapolis; a nephew, Fred Wheeler Jr. and wife Glenda of Bruceville; two great-nephews, John Wheeler of Haymarket, Va., and Fred Wheeler III of Las Vegas; and two great-nieces, Teresa Johnson of Winchester, Tenn., and Leslie Isbell of Brownwood.
The family suggests memorials be to Polk Street United Methodist Church, 1401 S. Polk St., Amarillo, TX 79101; BSA Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79105; or a favorite charity.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
|
