MARY KESSLER
1916 - 2018
Obituary
Mary C. Kessler, 101, passed away
Thursday (April 5, 2018) at Presbyterian Manor in Newton. She was
born June 24, 1916, in Jewell to Louis M. and Annie Harrison
Jorgenson. As a young girl, her family moved to Manhattan, where she
graduated from high school. She graduated Kansas State University in
Manhattan in 1938 with a degree in Home Economics Education.
She taught in Topeka until her marriage
to Frank B. Kessler on June 10, 1941. When Frank was drafted for
WWII, Mary returned to teaching and, in the summers, she managed a
canning kitchen for produce from Victory Gardens. In 1945, they moved
to Hays and she became a full-time homemaker as their children were
born. In 1956, she returned to teaching at Fort Hays State College
and then at high schools in Downs and Smith Center. The family moved
to Newton in 1961, where Frank took over the family grain and
livestock farm he had grown up on and Mary taught home economics at
Santa Fe Junior High until she retired in 1978.
Mary was a member of Trinity Heights
United Methodist Church and was active in the work of United
Methodist Women. She was also a member of the Newton Area Retired
Teachers Association, Harvey County Home Economics Club and Newton
Medical Center Auxiliary, having held offices in those organizations.
A willing volunteer, she worked several years at Friendly Acres, now
Asbury Park, initiating a crafts program for the residents and
assisting with the annual bazaar. As a 4-H volunteer, she assisted
with clothing projects. Working with the Newton Medical Hospital
Auxiliary, Mary was chairman of the "Toys for Pediatric
Patients," coordinating making and distributing 135 toys
annually.
In her church, she enjoyed working on
the annual church bazaars, making decorations for mother-daughter
banquets, as well as serving meals there. In her later years, Mary
was active in Piece Makers quilting group at Trinity Heights and has
made a quilt for each of her children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. She learned watercolor painting at age 92 and
created more than 200 paintings, some of which she sold and donated
the proceeds to the Presbyterian Manor Scholarship fund.
Survivors are a son, Alan F. Kessler
(Karen) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; a daughter, Arlys K. Nilles (Gary) of
Verona, Wisconsin; a brother, Paul Jorgenson of Arlington, Virginia;
four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her
husband in 2006; and an infant daughter in 1946.
A Celebration of Life will be at 11
a.m. Saturday (April 14, 2018) at Trinity Heights United Methodist
Church. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday (April 13, 2018) at
Petersen Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to Newton
Presbyterian Manor or Trinity Heights United Methodist Church in care
of Petersen Funeral Home.
