Esther LaVerta Pester (90) was born February 27, 1930, in Hallam, NE, to parents Harry and Anna (Schwenke) Rader. She passed away September 21, 2020, at The Legacy in Lincoln, NE with her 4 children by her side.
She grew up in Sprague, NE and spent her adult life in Lincoln, NE. She was married to Donald Pester for 67 years. Esther and Donald were avid dancers, she enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Trinity Chapel Church in Rokeby, NE and the Moose Lodge in Lincoln, NE and Denton Historical Society. She worked at Russell Stover’s, Control Data, Lester Electrical, and had a mowing business with Donald in their retirement years.
She is survived by children Shirley (Rich) Baack, Bruce (Debbie) Pester, Sharon (Stan) Plautz, Wayne (Laura) Pester. Grandchildren Holly (Mike) Flaherty, Darin Baack (Victoria Pisula), Stefani (Alan) Grell, Amanda Pester, Jaime (Brad) Schmale, Jennifer (Scott) Svatos, Lindsey (Micheal) Firestone, Chris (Amy) Pester, Jeremy (Jenny) Pester. Great-grandchildren Lily and Oliver Flaherty, Raegan Grell, Kennedy and Kaden Schmale, Brooklynn and Jackson Weyers, Alianna and Emmett Svatos, Zoey and Devin Firestone, Madicyn Pester (Reason Crisman), Branson and Keaton Pester, June and Hayden Pester. Great-great-grandchild Tahayla Pester. Sister-in-law Marge Rader, and multiple nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by both parents, husband (2016), infant son Ronald Pester, infant grandson Brian Smoyer, 5 brothers and 3 sisters.
Visitation with family Friday, September 25, 2020, 5:00pm-7:00pm, at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home. 6800 S. 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68512. Private family funeral service to be held at a later date.
Memorials to Parkinson’s Nebraska, 16811 Burdette St., Suite 1, Omaha, NE 68116. Trinity Chapel Church, 550 W. Rokeby Rd., Lincoln, NE 68523. The Food Bank of Lincoln, 4840 Doris Bair Circle, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68504.
Special thank you to the staff at The Legacy, HoriSun Hospice, and Home Instead Senior Care.
