Helen Hester

Helen Henrietta Hester was born March 29, 1915, the daughter of Andreas and Bertha Stender Hinrichsen. She died Thursday, November 10, 2011, at the Eventide Lutheran Home in Denison, Iowa, at the age of ninety-six.
Helen was born in Goodrich Township near Denison. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Denison. She later joined her husband in the Methodist faith. She was united in marriage to Ralph Hester on July 20, 1923, at the Zion Lutheran Parsonage in Denison, Iowa. The couple made their home on a farm in East Boyer Township, before moving to a farm in the Buck Grove area where they lived for several years, moving to Manilla for fourteen years. In1960, they moved to the Denison community. Over the years Helens jobs included both, home nursing and was a CNA at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital.
She loved reading, flower gardening, doing crafts and would often make flowers from various materials. She enjoyed receiving letters from her grandson, Michael stationed in the Middle East. In her younger years she enjoyed camping and dancing with her husband, Ralph. She also loved to fish and taught the skill to her grandchildren. Helens love of nature included bird watching and her collection of books on birds were her pride and joy. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Denison.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband; one daughter, Irene Rose in infancy; one brother, Louis; and one sister, LaVerne. Survivors include one daughter Marilynn and her husband, Ed; one son Albert and his wife, Diane; seven grandchildren; eighteen great- grandchildren; two great-great-grandsons; and one step great-granddaughter; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.