RAPID CITY- Louise A. Hester, 76, passed away Friday, January 20, 2017 at Golden Living Center in Rapid City.

She was born on May 17, 1940 in Mitchell, SD. Her mother was Margueritte J. Traux. At age 3, she and her brother, John (three years older) and their mother moved back to Rapid City to live with her grandparents, Theo B. and Hellen Werner. She resided there until 1963 when she married John E. Hester and moved to Lake Preston, SD to be with John who would be teaching music there. In their 53 years of marriage they lived in Rapid City, Lake Preston, Devils Lake, ND, Gillette, WY, Aberdeen, and Idaho.

Louise was an educator and librarian from 1959 in Selby until 2008 in Rapid City. She taught and substituted in all schools where husband, John taught in his teaching career and his night audit job in Rapid City. She received her Bachelor's of Science Degree from Black Hills Teacher College in Spearfish.

She was forced to retire due to health in 2008. She had declining health until her passing. John and Louise celebrated 53 years of marriage last November. To this union, three children were born: Karen (deceased at age 21); Mark (Sherry), Denver, CO; and Michael (Steffanie) and their two boys: Connor and Garrett, West Bend, WI.

She and John were life members of Big Bend Presbyterian Church and members of Good Ol' Boys (Class of 58 graduates of Rapid City High School). They enjoyed their trips to Alamogordo, White Sands, Houston, Galveston, the Biltmore in North Carolina, Lenoir, Hickory, the Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Karen and her brother, John.

Louise is survived by her husband; two sons; two grandsons; sister, Susan Truax; Oregon; her Aunt Ann and Aunt Barb, NC. and her cousin, Bruce Peterson, NM.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 25 at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home with Rev. Bob Savot officiating. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. until service time.

Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.