OBITUARY: Sylvia Augusta (Blake) Kesten, 1920-2005, Mitchell County, Iowa

[ Original version webpublished at www.mcpress.com Oct. 26, 2005 ]





                                Sylvia Kesten
 
Mass of Resurrection for Sylvia Augusta Kesten, 85, of Riceville, Iowa, was
held Tuesday Oct. 25, 2005 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in
Riceville, Iowa with Rev. Ray E. Atwood officiating. Burial will be in
Calvary Cemetery in Riceville, Iowa. Sylvia passed away Saturday Oct. 22,
2005 at Muse Norris Hospice in Mason City, Iowa.

Sylvia was born at the Wapsi on April 26, 1920 to Fred and Mathilda
(Gerhartz) Blake. She attended local schools. She was united in marriage to
Vincent Kesten on February 25, 1942 in Minnesota. They were stationed in
Milwaukee, Wisc. and El Paso, Texas before Vincent went overseas. Following
Vince's return from the service, they moved to the Riceville area. Sylvia
worked as a cook for Riceville Community Schools from 1961-1989, a total of
28 years. She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic parish,
active in St Anne's Rosary Society and the American Legion Auxiliary. Sylvia
delivered Meals on Wheels, helped at the Congregate Meal site, and was a
volunteer at the Riceville Community Rest Home where she enjoyed taking
care of the "old" people.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Vincent in 1996, and
one grandson, Shannon in 2000.

Survivors include two daughters, Sharon Campbell and her husband Kenneth
of Nora Springs, Iowa and Susan Christensen and her husband Dan of Elma,
Iowa; one son Fred and his wife Marianne Kesten of Rockwell City, Iowa,
10 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; three sisters:, Virginia and
Jim Bathen of Orange City, Iowa, Genevieve and Bob Ruemmele of Waterloo,
Iowa, and Eunice and Larry Potts of Buckingham, Iowa; and one brother
Vernon "Bud" Blake and his wife Madonna of Waterloo, Iowa.

                                                                      

                     Copyright 2005 - K. L. Kittleson