Agnes Kesterson

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, August 2, 2024, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fort Dodge. Burial will be in the Corpus Christi Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4:00-6:30 on Thursday at Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Fort Dodge. A family rosary will be held at 3:30 on Thursday led by the Catholic Daughters.

Sarah Agnes O’Donnell was born to Hugh and Ann (Carr) O’Donnell on August 17, 1931, and was baptized into the Catholic Church on August 18, 1931 in County Donegal, Ireland. She attended school in Ireland and graduated from high school.

In 1949, at the age of 17, she immigrated to the United States (the Land of Opportunity), arriving in New York City. She went on to Chicago, Illinois, where she met up with her brother.

She met her husband, Niles Kesterson, who was in the Army stationed in Chicago. She married Niles in 1952 in Chicago on Saint Patrick’s Day. They moved to Fort Dodge where they began their family after Niles finished Barber College.

After the youngest child started school, Agnes began a 44-year career at Trinity Regional Hospital in Central Supply and the Lab, retiring in 2012.

While raising her eight children, Agnes was known throughout the community for her baking skills. She baked breads, buns, cinnamon rolls and an assortment of desserts. She enjoyed dancing, playing cards, knitting, camping, traveling, exercising at the rec center, and spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church until the Catholic Church consolidated into Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Additionally, she was a member of the Rosarians and Catholic Daughters.

Survivors include her eight children: Barbara (Chris) Beyerhelm of Washington, D.C., Mary Bennett of West Des Moines, Jim (Kathy) Kesterson of Fort Dodge, Diane Bradley of Fort Dodge, Tom (Darci) Kesterson of Dallas, Texas, Joe (Kim) Kesterson of Denton, Texas, Peggy (Jim) Bryant of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Kathleen Heller of Fort Dodge. In addition to her children, she is survived by 19 grandchildren, 54 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren, her sister-in-law, Lene, and several nephews and nieces located throughout Ireland, England and the United States.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 42 years, Niles, her son-in-law Jim Bradley, grandchildren Chris Beyerhelm, Jonathan Kesterson, Tyler Hinkle and great-grandchild Vanessa Kesterson, her ten siblings, and her husband’s siblings and spouses.

The children of Agnes Kesterson would like to thank all doctors, nurses, and the entire staff at the Marian Home and UnityPoint Trinity Regional Medical Center, for the wonderful care that they provided their mom during her final days.

Memorials to be left to the discretion of the family.