Inez L. Koester

Inez Koester, age 89, of Green Isle went to be with her Savior on April 5, 2012, at Golden Hearts Senior Living in Arlington, MN. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 9, 2012, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Green Isle, with Pastors Erwin Sprengeler and Kurt Lehmkuhl officiating. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the church. Interment will be at St Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Green Isle. Inez was born in McLeod County on June 3, 1922, to Elmer and Lillian (Mraz) Howe Sr. She was a 1940 graduate of Hutchinson High School. After her graduation, she worked at StrutWare Sewing Center in Glencoe, until she met the love of her life, Melvin. On June 19, 1945, Inez was united in marriage to Melvin H. Koester in Glencoe, MN. After spending time raising her children, Inez worked for 25 years at the Green Isle Post Office, retiring in 1985. Inez was a member of the Green Isle American Legion Auxiliary Post #408 for 60 years, and was also a member of the Arlington VFW Auxiliary Post #4031. She loved the time she spent selling poppies and showing the respect she had for the American flag and the Veterans at the Memorial Day services each year. Inez loved gardening, bird watching and dancing, and was an enthusiastic sports fan, as well as enjoying playing cards and solving puzzles. She loved reading, but the most important thing in her life was being a mother, grandma and great-grandma, and showing the special connection she had with each of them by being a loving ‘Mamie' to all of them. Inez is survived by her children, Dennis (Judi) Koester of Phoenix, AZ, Faye (Bill) Pinske of Arlington, Steve (fiancée Julie) Koester of Arlington, Linda Downes of Park Rapids, MN, and Rita (Tom) Edmonds of Green Isle. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jeff, Lisa, Sara, Stacy, Marcie, Troy, Chad, Aric, Angela, Christoff, Emilee, Brian, Tim, Colleen and Chelsey, four great-grandsons and 22 great-granddaughters. Inez also leaves behind her siblings, Elmer (Eunice) Howe Jr. of Hutchinson, MN, Ellen Fratzke of Hutchinson, a special care giving friend, Cherie Mattson, and her loving companion puppy, Webster. Inez was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Melvin, grandsons Jason Gieseke and Kyle Petersen, great grandchildren MaKaila' Ryan and Jacob Gieseke, and siblings Caroline Mehlhop and Elnora Michaelis. Casket bearers will be Jeff Koester, Steve Czech, Troy Koester, Christoff Hebeisen, Brian Gieseke and Aric Koester. Honorary casket bearers will be the Clark, Brumm, Schuette and Koester families.