Joe Mac Jester On Sunday, March 4, 2012, Joe Mac Jester, age 91, a 70 year resident of Austin, departed this mortal life to rejoin his beloved wife and grandson in God's Holy Kingdom, sustained by family and friends who loved him dearly. He was born September 2, 1920, in Cherokee, San Saba County, Texas to D.W. and Annie Mae Jester of that community. He was the third of six children, but an elder brother was lost in infancy to illness, and Joe grew to manhood the "big brother" of one elder and three younger sisters. On July 19, 1941, he married the love of his life, Laura Lucille Bode, of the nearby Pontotoc community. They celebrated 60 years of marriage before her death at the age of 80 in December 2001. This union was blessed with three sons and a daughter. Mackie (wife Doris), who had four sons (one deceased), and a daughter; Kenneth, who had three sons and a daughter; Steve (wife Donna), with one son and one daughter; and Joe's only daughter, Patricia Ann Jester Miller (husband Bob Miller), had two daughters. He was a life member of Crestview United Methodist Church and the Masonic Lodge. After 41 years of devoted service to AT&T and Bell Telephone Systems, he retired to a well-deserved pension in August 1982. He was an honorable veteran of the U.S.M.C. and served during World War II. He was active in the Boy Scouts during the childhood of his sons and other community services. He was an avid sports fan of collegiate and professional talent and found joy in Little League Baseball, Pop Warner Football and high school athletics. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his gracious and loving wife, Lucille, his grandson, Clayton Jester of Round Rock, and his older sister, Jane Taylor. He is survived by three sisters, Sue Mullins of Ohio, June Lindsay- Kope and Judy Jester of Texas; his four children; his twelve grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren. Also surviving him are several other relatives and countless friends, including twenty-two nieces and nephews and their families. His six grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Family and friends are invited to a visitation from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 8, 2012 at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home in Pflugerville. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 9, 2012 at the funeral home chapel. Interment with Masonic Services and Military Honors will follow at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery.

Published in Austin American-Statesman on Mar. 7, 2012