James H. "Jimmy" Koester

Jimmy Koester, 79 of Riesel, went to be with the Lord on Thursday December 31. Funeral services will be on Monday January 4 at 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Riesel with Rev. Robert Kitson officiating, interment to follow. Visitation will be on Sunday Jan 3 from 4 PM to 7 PM at Adams Funeral Home in Marlin. Jimmy was born on Sunday May 10, 1936 to Herman B. and Frieda (Berg) Koester, the second of two sons on the family farm near Riesel. He was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran in Riesel; baptized into the Christian faith on July 14, 1936; confirmed on April 2, 1950. Jimmy served his Lord in the congregation as an Elder, President, Trustee, Financial Board member and other positions. Jimmy attended elementary parochial school at Trinity then onto Riesel High School graduating in 1954. He began working at the USDA Blackland Experiment Station “Watershed” in Riesel following graduation as well as working on the family farm. On Nov. 21, 1959 he married Ruth A. Pursche at Trinity Lutheran Church in Riesel. Together they purchased a family farm near Riesel where they were blessed to raise their three children. Jimmy was drafted into the US Army and was honorably discharged in 1964. During his army service he received his technical training as a machinist. Upon discharge from the Army he returned to the USDA Experiment Station as an engineer technician machinist and remained with the USDA in Riesel, and then Temple retiring after 36 years. After retirement Jimmy continued with farming and raising Polled Hereford cattle and working part time with his son Darrell in Koester’s Machine Shop in Riesel.

Preceding him in death were his parents, father-in-law and mother-in-law O.I. and Anne (Korger) Pursche, one brother John H. Koester and one nephew Dwight Pursche.

Jimmy is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Ruth, daughters Pamela and husband John Nussman, Sharon and husband David Raesener, and son Darrell all of Riesel, two grandsons Russell and wife Larissa Mezynski of Riesel and Ryan Mezynski of New Braunsfel, brother-in-law Roy H. Pursche and wife Ruby of Riesel, sister-in-law Burt Koester of Bryan, nieces Janice Vos and Joan Ison of Bryan, Janet Drapela of Riesel and nephew Phillip Pursche of Riesel.

Serving as pallbearers are Grover Vos, Phillip Pursche, Skip Humphrey, Gary Drapela, Russell Mezynski, Ryan Mezynski, honorary pallbearers John Nussman, David Raesener, Jack Wooley, Mark Holmes, David Lehrmann, Harold Schultz, coworkers at USDA Grassland Research Lab and the men of Trinity Lutheran Church, Riesel.

Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church Roof Fund or charity of choice.

1 John 5:4 – For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.