Obit: Sester, Emma (1911 - 2013)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Sester, Schultz, Bell, Wittman, Higgins, Spencer, Mueller, Deisinger, Zickert, Shaw, Spangler, Koppert

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 7/10/2013

Sester, Emma (16 November 1911 - 7 July 2013)

Emma Sester, 101, of Neillsville died Sunday July 7, 2013, at her home in the Neillsville Retirement Community.

Emma Hermina Schultz was born Nov. 16, 1911, in the Town of Hewett, Clark County. She attended local schools and then moved to Oshkosh and lived with relatives. Later, she moved to Watertown, where she met Gilbert Bell; they later married. They lived in Farmington and had one daughter, Shirley Mae Bell. After 22 years of marriage, Emma and Gilbert divorced. Emma then moved back to Neillsville and lived with her parents and worked at Autotest for five years. She then moved to Hampshire, IL, to live with her brother and his wife and worked at the Playskool Toy factory. While there, she met Walter Sester. They were united in marriage. They lived in Hampshire until they retired and then they moved to Neillsville and lived in the country. Walter died 18 years ago, and five years ago, after selling her house, Emma moved to the Neillsville Retirement community. They took excellent care of her there.

Emma was a member of the United Church of Christ, their Ladies Aid and a Homemaker’s Club. In her spare time she enjoyed bowling.

She is survived by her daughter, Shirley B. (fiancé Charles Wittman) Higgins of Menomonee Falls; step-sons, Dale (Nancy) Sester, Dennis (Judy) Sester, both of Illinois, and Terry Sester of Michigan; grandchildren, Lisa (Scott) Spencer and Bryan (Anita) Higgins; great-grandchildren, Dustin Mueller, Kurt Mueller, Lindsey (Joss) Deisinger, Jacob Higgins and Kyle Higgins; a great-great-granddaughter, Brynlee Deisinger; a brother, Bert Schultz, of Neillsville; a niece, Joann Zickert, of Neillsville; and a dear friend, Barb Shaw of Wisconsin Rapids.

She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Butch, Harvey and Victor.

Funeral services for Emma will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, July 12, 2013, at the United Church of Christ in Neillsville. Pastor Jacoba Koppert will officiate. Music will be provided by Deon Spangler, organist. Interment will be in the Neillsville City Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at the church.

Online condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  The Gesche Funeral Home is assisting Emma’s family with funeral arrangements.