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IN LOVING MEMORY OF Richard W. Koester
Richard W.
Koester
August 23, 1930 – April 22, 2011
Richard W. Koester's Obituary
Richard W. "Dick" Koester, 80, of Effingham passed away peacefully Friday, April 22, 2011, at Evergreen Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Effingham.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Church, Effingham, with Father Bob Spriggs officiating. Burial will be in St. Anthony Cemetery, Effingham, with military graveside rites. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bauer Funeral Home, Effingham. Memorials for Richard may be made to Sacred Heart School, Effingham.
Richard was born Aug. 23, 1930, on a farm in Green Creek, the son of Frederick and Helen Koester. He attended Bull Flat School. On May 5, 1951, Richard married Madelyn Mae Gillespie at Sacred Heart Church in Effingham. The couple moved to California in 1952 for Richard's military training, returning to Effingham after the Korean War, and built the home in which they would go on to raise seven children.
In addition to his service in the U.S. Army during the war, Richard was a veteran of the Illinois National Guard, serving as commander of the Effingham unit during the Vietnam War. Richard worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation for 30 years, retiring in 1988 as director of personnel for District 7. He served as president of the Sacred Heart school board, and was among those who founded the annual Sacred Heart Church picnic. Richard was a longtime volunteer at Sacred Heart Church in Effingham, and also donated years of service to Catholic Charities of Effingham and American Legion Post 120. His skills as a hunter, farmer, gardener, craftsman, card player and storyteller are legendary.
He will be loved and forever remembered by his wife, Madelyn Mae Koester of Effingham; children, Cynthia (husband, Mark) Curtis of Shannon, Rick (wife, Carol) Koester of Teutopolis, Stacia (husband, Robert) Mette of Effingham, Angela (husband, Bart) Funneman of Moweaqua, Randall Koester of Indianapolis, Rohn Koester of Urbana and Robert (wife, Marilyn) Koester of The Woodlands, Texas; 16 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and a granddaughter.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Church, Effingham, with Father Bob Spriggs officiating. Burial will be in St. Anthony Cemetery, Effingham, with military graveside rites. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bauer Funeral Home, Effingham. Memorials for Richard may be made to Sacred Heart School, Effingham.
Richard was born Aug. 23, 1930, on a farm in Green Creek, the son of Frederick and Helen Koester. He attended Bull Flat School. On May 5, 1951, Richard married Madelyn Mae Gillespie at Sacred Heart Church in Effingham. The couple moved to California in 1952 for Richard's military training, returning to Effingham after the Korean War, and built the home in which they would go on to raise seven children.
In addition to his service in the U.S. Army during the war, Richard was a veteran of the Illinois National Guard, serving as commander of the Effingham unit during the Vietnam War. Richard worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation for 30 years, retiring in 1988 as director of personnel for District 7. He served as president of the Sacred Heart school board, and was among those who founded the annual Sacred Heart Church picnic. Richard was a longtime volunteer at Sacred Heart Church in Effingham, and also donated years of service to Catholic Charities of Effingham and American Legion Post 120. His skills as a hunter, farmer, gardener, craftsman, card player and storyteller are legendary.
He will be loved and forever remembered by his wife, Madelyn Mae Koester of Effingham; children, Cynthia (husband, Mark) Curtis of Shannon, Rick (wife, Carol) Koester of Teutopolis, Stacia (husband, Robert) Mette of Effingham, Angela (husband, Bart) Funneman of Moweaqua, Randall Koester of Indianapolis, Rohn Koester of Urbana and Robert (wife, Marilyn) Koester of The Woodlands, Texas; 16 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and a granddaughter.
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