Obituaries

Keith Alan Kester, age 88, of Cedarville, Michigan, died at Cedar Cove Assisted Living on January 5, 2023. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, on February 22, 1934, to George and Dorothy (Anderson) Kester.

Keith grew up in Dayton and moved to Cedarville when he was twelve years old. He graduated from Cedarville High School in 1953. He returned to Dayton for a short time where he worked in manufacturing before returning to Cedarville to work at the local quarry. In January 1956, he was drafted into the Army. After his service, he became the first rural route mail carrier in Cedarville. He married Ruth Eseltine on June 4, 1960, at the First Union Church in Cedarville. He worked as a carpenter until 1973 when he earned his Master Plumber license and started his own business, Kester Plumbing. Keith operated the plumbing business until 1999, when his son Marc took over, but he continued working through 2019. Keith also held a residential contractor license and an HVAC license but was too busy with plumbing to utilize those credentials.

Keith was an active member of the First Union Church in Cedarville, the Les Cheneaux Masonic Lodge #590, the Les Cheneaux Snowmobile Club, and a volunteer for the annual Les Cheneaux Antique Wooden Boat Show. He was a dedicated member of the Clark Township Fire Department for over fifty years, where he held several positions including Assistant Fire Chief. In 1993 he earned his Medical First Responder License and began serving on the Clark Township Ambulance Corps until retirement. Keith joined forces with Norm Smale to manually map Clark Township to help effectively institute the 911 house numbering system. He served on the board of the Les Cheneaux Community Foundation and was a founding board member of the Great Lakes Boat Building School. He was also named Les Cheneaux Citizen of the Year in 2005.

Keith loved the outdoors; he was an avid rock hunter and enjoyed snowmobiling, and traveling, especially out west & to Florida. He spent many hours sitting on bleachers as he enjoyed his grandchildren’s sporting events and performances. Keith’s best kept secret is his peanut brittle recipe. Although he was unwilling to share the recipe, sharing the sweet treat brought him great joy as he and Ruth would hand deliver it to friends each Christmas season. A tradition his kids have carried on.

Keith is survived by his daughters, Amy (William) Kohlmann of Cedarville and Stacey Kester of Cedarville; son, Marc (Georgiana) Kester of Cedarville; grandchildren, Maddie (Patrick) Weaver, Trevor Kohlmann, Caleb Kohlmann, Hayley Kohlmann, Jack Kester, and Charlie Kester; and brother-in-law, Don (Bonnie) Eseltine of California.

Keith is preceded in death by his parents, George and Dorothy Kester; wife, Ruth Kester; sister, Sue Kester; and brother-in-law, John Eseltine.

There will be a graveside service at Cedar Cemetery in Cedarville, Michigan, in the Spring of 2023.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Les Cheneaux Fire Auxiliary P.O. Box 242 Cedarville, MI 49719 or Les Cheneaux Ambulance Auxiliary P.O. Box 453 Hessel, Michigan 49745.

Galer Funeral Homes & Cremation in Pickford, Michigan, is serving the family. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.galerfuneralhomes.com.