Sarah McArthur Kesler

Sarah was born March 5, 1927, to Helen and Lee McArthur in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. She came into this world with an inner and outer beauty she never lost over her 98 years of life.

At the age of two, Sarah and her parents, facing the Great Depression, moved into the loving shelter of her maternal grandparents’ home in Oklahoma City where she grew up, sharing her childhood home with her younger brother Tom and her adored, young Aunt Mary.

There she developed her resilient, independent spirit, and there, she experienced her family’s love — warm and practical — as her mother and grandmother expertly sewed her clothes (sometimes dresses with matching “panties” — the best!), tended the garden and home, and cooked for the many who were welcomed at their table. Sarah helped her father in the family egg business, candling eggs, putting them in cartons and riding along in the truck with her father on deliveries. She often had the responsibility of riding the bus downtown, on her own, to deposit the family’s weekly earning in the bank.

Spirited and fun-loving, Sarah loved being a part of her neighborhood, becoming the star pitcher and batter on the neighborhood baseball team, roller skating with friends, walking to the drugstore for ice cream at the soda fountain, with her faithful dog, Bruce, waiting patiently outside to walk her home.

Her teenaged years were galvanized by motion pictures, movie magazines, and ultimately drama club. Sarah loved participating in every facet of her high school’s theatrical productions, from helping behind-the-scenes with makeup and costumes to the joy of getting to perform in plays. From then on, Sarah’s love of performing and presentation was infused into many aspects and qualities of her life.

Also galvanizing those years for Sarah were flirting and boys and flirting and dating and flirting, and then — Bill. Bill, who went with pals to a high school football game, looked up in the stands, saw Sarah sitting there, then said to his friends, “I’m going to marry that girl.” And, he did.

As their love story blossomed, World War II loomed, and Bill enlisted and served with the Co. C 3rd Armored Replacement Battalion on the European Front. At home, Sarah kept a scrapbook of his poignantly loving, longing letters from the front. Then, toward the end of the war, on brief leave, Sarah and Bill were married October 13, 1945.

After Bill’s military service ended, they began their married life first living with Sarah’s parents, then on the campus of O.U. where Bill studied chemical engineering. It was during this time that Sarah gave birth to their first child, Karen, and Sarah’s motherhood began.

After Bill’s graduation from O.U., Sarah’s young family moved to Liberal, Kansas, where Bill, with Sarah’s loving support, began their long career with Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company. In Liberal, daughter Kathy was born, then four years after, son William (Rip) arrived. After promotion and transfer to Garden City, Kansas, Sarah and Bill welcomed daughter Kari, and, following two and half years later, was the birth of son Matt, which brought Sarah’s family whole.

Sarah embraced these years of her growing family with love; relishing each child’s uniqueness — so much so that each of her children felt so loved that they would often tease her that she’d birthed five only-children!

Sarah and Bill’s final move for their family was to Kansas City. As her children grew up, Sarah branched out working for a number of years as a lecturer for Weight Watchers. In this, she excelled, combining her compassion and caring with her performance and presentation abilities. It was meaningful work she thoroughly enjoyed that touched many lives.

Then, Bill passed away, on the early side of life, after bravely enduring a heart condition for several years. Sarah had been by his side, as she always had been — his comfort, his joy, the light of his life. After Bill’s death, Sarah gathered her resiliency and love to continue to shine in the world for the sake of her family and others. She ultimately traveled extensively, crossing the western United States and Alaska several times, as well as traveling internationally, including a trip down the Nile, an RV safari in Africa, visits to Russia and China, all a thrill and wonder for Sarah from Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

As time went on, Sarah was welcomed, with loving embrace, into the home of her daughter Karen in Plano, Texas, where Karen cared for her for 14 years. While still active, Sarah thrived in the community of Custer Road Methodist Church. With good friends there, Sarah got another opportunity to perform as part of “Seniors On Stage” (S.O.S.), described as “a fun group that spreads the love of God by performing skits and songs to senior communities and memory care programs.”

Ultimately, Sarah returned to Kansas City to live at the Health Center at Kingswood Senior Living. Still a shining light, her radiant presence there engendered friendship and love from fellow-residents and caring staff across the board. — And, yes, there, Sarah had the chance to perform a last time with the expressive arts therapy program provided by Kansas City Hospice. These performances were joy and fulfillment for her.

In Sarah’s rich legacy, there are grandchildren and great-grandchildren and extended family, all of whom received support and love from Sarah. She is called by her oldest grandson Jason, “AG”, which stands for Awesome Grandmother, then in turn his children call her, “AGG”, for Awesome Great-Grandmother. Her second grandson Jared retains to this day the sweet endearment for Sarah of Grandmommy, and his children call her Great-Grandmommy. Her Granddaughter Audrey dearly calls her Grandma Sarah. And then, most recently, one of the youngest of Sarah’s extended family, calls her simply Great Mother Sarah. She glowed at being called any of these titles of endearment, and gathered them to her heart.

Sarah was predeceased by her beloved husband William “Bill” Kesler, son William “Rip” Kesler, brother Tom McArthur, and her parents. She is survived by daughter Karen Smith, daughter Kathleen (Sandra) Kesler, daughter Kari Knabe, son Matthew (Lendy) Kesler; grandchildren Jason (Sharon) Smith, Jared Smith, and Audrey Kesler; great-grandchildren Barrett, Sofia, Alana, Ryn, and Jesse; treasured sister-in-law Sallye Hadley; cherished cousin Marilyn (Terry) Reisman; loved and loving nieces, cousins, and extended family.

Sarah’s family deeply thanks the staff at Kingswood Senior Living Health Center and the care team of Kansas City Hospice for their loving embrace and care of Sarah as she lived and transitioned through this life.

A message chosen by Sarah:

“I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one.

I’d like to leave the afterglow of smiles when life is done.

I’d like to leave an echo whispering softy down the ways;

of happy times and laughing time and bright and sunny days.

I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun

of happy memories that I leave when my life is done.”

(Author Unknown)

Funeral service will beheld Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 1:00pm, at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64131.

Lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Wayside Waifs, 3901 Martha Truman Road, Kansas City, MO 64137 https://waysidewaifs.org/donate/.