On Tuesday, March 22, 2016, our family lost our beloved Clifford John Kester, 95, of St. Charles. He was surrounded by his family at Mayo Clinic Hospital -- St. Mary's Campus.
Clifford was born to Archie and Wilhelmina (Linnemeier) Kester on Jan. 19, 1921, on his parents' farm outside of Chatfield, Minn. He attended rural Chatfield School. He married Dorothy Barr. She was the beautiful dark-haired women with the red dress he met two years earlier at Little Ole's Dance Hall in St. Charles. He had always said, he knew the moment he saw her that she was the women he would marry one day. On June 24, 1942, his dream came true and they were married at the Episcopal Church in St. Charles. They were blessed with 71 years of marriage.
Clifford and Dorothy farmed for 15 years until they moved to town in 1957. He worked for Morrill & Son for 17 years and then with the City of St. Charles for 12 years until his retirement. During his retirement, he and Dorothy traveled 47 states in their camper, visiting local Moose Lodges and Moose Heart. They wintered in Apache Junction, Ariz., and Donna, Texas
Cliff and Dorothy were very active in the St. Charles Moose Lodge. His passion and support for the Moose Lodge included construction of the new facility. 2016 commemorates his 50th year of membership and service to the St. Charles Chapter.
He is survived by his three daughters, Joyce (Jesse) Wurl of Plainview, Judy (Bernie Sr.) Schott of St. Charles and Donna Schultz of St. Charles; eight grandchildren, Gary Wurl of Houston, Texas, Diana (Raymond) Moss of Plainfield, Ill, Bradley Wurl of Plainview, Kim (Tom) Steiger of St. Charles, Bernie Schott Jr of Rochester, Ben (Angie) Schott of Rollingstone, Jeremy (Angie) Schultz of Lake City, Jeffrey Schultz of Chatfield; 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson, and his beloved and faithful dog, Rocky. He was fortunate to have had many fantastic and caring care providers with special thanks to Kari Huddleston and Carol Gohman. Your love, support and compassion will never be forgotten.
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He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Kester in 2014, his parents, and son-in-law, Jesse Wurl.
Funeral services will be Friday, March 25, at 11 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in St Charles, with the Rev. Steve McGinley officiating. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery with luncheon and Celebration of Life at the St. Charles Moose Lodge.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at Hoff Funeral Home and Cremation Service – St. Charles (U.S. 14 West) and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Please share a memory of Clifford, sign his online guestbook and view his video tribute when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com.
