Florraine (Kay) Hester Becker, 91, of Yakima passed away March 1, 2018 at Willow Springs Care Facility. Born on January 25, 1927 in Yakima, WA to Karl Alvin Inez Christina (Forsen) Smith. She was raised and educated in Yakima, graduating from Yakima High School in 1945. In her early years she worked in the fruit industry, Herald-Republic Publishing Co. and in retail. She married Lewis Edwin (Eddie) Hester, Jr. on Oct. 5, 1946. Eddie and Kay had two daughters, Cheryl and Cindi, and two sons, Jack and Jerry. After Eddie passed away on Oct. 7, 1972 from MS, she married Otto Becker on January 29, 1977. He passed away on Nov. 5, 1992. In her later years, she had a devoted partner, Ray Sears. Kay had one brother, Frank Edward Smith, whom she was very close to. He passed away on Aug. 11, 1989. Her mother passed away 9 months later on May 17, 1990. She lost her father on Nov. 6, 1977.
Kay loved to dance, often saying she was born dancing. Her other interests were reading, photography, traveling, corresponding with others and family get-togethers. For years she kept a journal of family activities, etc. She was from a close-knit family and wished everyone lived by her motto – the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This would be a much better world if everyone thought the same she would often say.
Kay is survived by her children Cheryl Latendresse (fiancé Wayne Smith), Cindi (Danny) Thompson and Jerry (Jenifer) Hester, all of Yakima and daughter-in-law Perla Morales of Boise, ID; grandchildren Shawn (Krista) Latendresse, Travis (Jayme) Thompson, Natasha Hester (Cheyenne Miller), Jeremy Hester and Crystal Perkins; and great grandchildren: Townes and August Latendresse, Waylon Thompson, Eva Hester and Trenton Perkins. She was preceded in death by her husbands, parents, brother and son, Jack Hester.
Kay was a member of Grace of Christ Presbyterian Church and attended regularly. She was deeply devoted to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and treasured every moment with them. She was proud of them all. She hopes they will lovingly remember her.
I have written this obituary and thank all those who were a part of my life. God bless all of you – always.
May you live all the days of your life.
-Anonymous
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 9, 2018 at the Grace of Christ Presbyterian Church, 9 S. 8th Avenue, Yakima, with interment to follow at Terrace Heights Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the MS Society or Memorial Hospital’s Cottage in the Meadow.
Keith & Keith in charge of funeral arrangements.
