Lois Virginia Kessler

Lois V. Kessler passed away Oct. 30, 2012 and is in the presence of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and has been reunited with her husband Bob. Mom and Dad met at a dance in high school in Lincoln, KS. Dad joined the Navy in 1942 and his home port was San Diego, CA. He wrote Mom asking her to come to San Diego and marry him before he shipped out. Mom got on a train in Salina, KS, for a three-day train ride to San Diego. She was approached by three soldiers who promised that they would protect her and pay for all of her food and drink if she would save their seats on the train as the train was full of soldiers, sailors and Marines. They were true to their word and Mom only spent 5 cents on a package of gum the entire three days. Once in San Diego, Mom and Dad walked into a church and asked the pastor if he would marry them. He said he would be happy to. Dad went outside and stopped the first sailor he found and asked if he would stand in as best man. The church cleaning lady was Mom’s maid of honor. The pastor ‘borrowed’ a bottle of champagne from the wedding that was to follow to toast the newlyweds. After the war, Dad became a teacher and in order to better provided for his family, moved to wherever a better life might lead. These moves involved five states, nine different cities and at least 10 different homes, the interiors of most painted by Mom. Dad passed away in 2007, and the family decided Mom needed to be closer to family when she was diagnosed with COPD. Four generations were present when she passed away. She is survived by a son, Sterling (Carole) of Lee’s Summit, a daughter, Teresa (Jon) of Ventura, CA, and a daughter Linda (Dan) of Los Gatos, CA, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Our thanks go out to Kansas City Hospice for their kind words and work. We suggest donations to them in lieu of flowers.