Homer Kesterson – Aug. 1926 – March 2020

Homer was born in Umpire, Arkansas on August 27, 1926. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Calvin and Pearl Lillian, and all his siblings; William (W.H.), Elsie, Jessie, Allie, Lloyd, and Norene.

Homer joined the Army Airforce in 1945 at age 19 as Military Police in World \Var IT. When he returned from the war he took flying lessons, and he kept his pilot’s license in his billfold his entire life.

Homer met Bernadine Smith in October 1952, and they were married in May 1953. They would have been married 67 years this May 9th.

Homer always worked ve1y hard, many times with more than one job at a time like cooking or apple picking. His favorite job was always timber felling and he fell timber in Goldendale, WA, East Wenatchee, WA, Odell, OR, Philipsburg, MT, and in December 1967, moved the family to Forks, WA to open up a Stihl Saw Shop. He cut logs all day and repaired saws when he got back to town. He won a trip to Germany for selling the most saws that year, where they met and had dinner with Mr. Stihl, his family and others.

He loved to hunt and fish the Klickitat River, and fish for salmon out of LaPush. His special fishing buddies were Harrison Davis, Sr., Bernard Hunt, Eldon Klein, and Mickey Rogers.

Homer loved to garden his entire life. People would stop by their home to ask what his secret was to having such a beautiful garden, and what seeds he used. His real secret was nature. He pored over the Farn1ers Almanac, studying the moon’s cycle. He planted each crop by the moon’s gravity.

Homer is survived by his wife of nearly 67 years, Bernadine, his daughter Sheryl Rene’ (Eddie) Jackson of Puyallup, daughter Shana (Chet) Hunt of forks, and daughter Klista (Dave) Stokes of Emmett, Idaho. He leaves 8 grandchildren, Lacey (Shane) Valdez, Kerri (Linda) Jackson, Ayme Ledenko, Bryon (Michelle) Hunt, Sandy (Brandon) Middleton, Tiera

(David) Varie, Kyra (Keetch Richards) Stokes, Ruben Stokes, as well as 17 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.