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Newton H. Hester by Ruth L. Hester
Newton H. Hester was the youngest child of Mr. J.N. Hester and his wife, Winnie Beesley.Some of his siblings were: "Newt" as he was called married Martha Alice Bennett and together they had 9 daughters and three sons. One son died in infancy, Another , Cleatus died in an accident in the creek at Lloyd's mill over on Hwy 55 near Red Level. That left one son, Mack Willard Hester and the nine sisters as the family survivors. Newton Hester was active in the Elizabeth Primitive Baptist Church and was a farmer until he retired in his old age and moved within the city limits of McKenzie. There he and his wife, Alice, grew the best gardens around. "Papa Hester" as he was called by some of us, lived waiting on himself and able to get around until his final morning when "Mama" called him to breakfast on that sunny February morning in 1960 and he reached down as was usual to tap his pipe out on the hearth before putting it on th mantle. As he raised up and reached for the mantel, he fell backwards and the rescue squad said he never knew what hit him. He was gone that quickly with a massive heart attack. Mr. Pete Sirmon had come to Mama's aid immediately. "Mama Alice " wasn't as lucky. She had a severe stroke and was bed ridden a long time. At least her loving daughter, Ercie Weaver, took leave from nursing duties and nursed her for those years. She was a wonderful, kind and generous friend to all who knew her. Ruth L. Hester
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