Kesterson, Oran Joseph b. Oct. 23, 1913 d. Jun. 15, 2009

Oran Joseph Kesterson, 95, of Vancouver, WA, passed into Heaven on June 15, 2009. He was born Oct. 23, 1913 to Joseph E. and Flora L. Kesterson in Cincinnati, IA. At one month old, the family moved to Clio, IA where he graduated from Clio High School in 1933. Joe married Evelyn Elson Bettis on Feb. 12, 1934 and were married for 68 years before she passed away in 2001. They were blessed with two children, Stanley Joe (still born) and their second child, a daughter, Linda Kay. "O.J." or "Joe" as he was called, worked in the Clio Post Office and grocery store before going to auto body and fender school in Kansas City, MO. He worked in the trade in Missouri and Kansas until going to work in Wichita, KS at Boeing Aircraft until the end of World War II. After the war, Joe moved to Liberty, MO and worked in Kansas City, MO in the auto body trade. In 1947, he moved to Yakima, WA to work for 15 years at a Pontiac dealership. Joe later worked for the Yakima Public School District as a custodian and painter until retirement in 1978. Joe enjoyed his hobbies of hunting, fishing, travel, Dixieland Jazz Festivals along the OR and WA coasts in Seaside and Astoria, and taking his two grandchildren (Stan and Shelly) on fishing and camping trips. He also loved dancing, dancing, dancing, spending many hours dancing at the Luepke Senior Center. Special thanks to all who cared for him at Salmon Creek Adult Care for the last four years. Survivors include one daughter, Linda Kay Scherer of Vancouver, WA; two grandchildren, Stan Winkenwerder of Richland, WA and Shelly Mallon of Woodburn, OR; two great-grandchildren, Michael Dean Mallon and Bailee Lynn Mallon, both of Woodburn, OR. Joe's memorial service will be held Tues., June 30, 2009 at Salmon Creek United Methodist Church in the little chapel at 1:30 p.m. Inurnment will be at the West Hills Memorial Park Cemetery in Yakima, WA on Aug. 6, 2009. Memorial contributions may be made to the Virginia Scherer Scholarship Fund at the Salmon Creek United Methodist Church.
Obituary at Find-A-Grave from Scott Bollinger