Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-13
CLINTON CITIZEN HAS COFFIN
AND FLOWERS PREPARED FOR
HIS FUNERAL
MADE COFFIN HIMSELF,
WIFE MADE THE FLOWERS
Charles J. r. kester Ready For Final
Summons - Aged Man I'll Many
Years, But Now Appears to Enjoy
Good Health - Good Mechanic and
H.. Built All COINS For Family.

built by nlmSelI, eilu li1e lio"eiS ~
his funeral carefully prepared and
resting in the closed front parlor OF
his home, Charles John Frederick
Kester, 1923 Second avenue, calmly
awaits the final call Of death.
Eyes, all is ready" said Mr.. Kes-
ter in broken English yesterday after
noon when being interviewed. He Is
a. native of Germany, coming to this
country and to Clinton in 1872. Last
April Mr.. Kester celebrated his 72d
birthday and, altho he was i'll for
twenty-eight years, now appears to he
in excellent good health. Since the
death of his wife, six years ago, MT.
Kester has resided alone in the big
house, with only the memories OF MS
dead wife and the thoughts OF his own
coming dissolution to keep MN COM
pany.
Mr.. Kester is q devout Catholic,
member Of the Sacred Heart churcn'
corner Of Fourth avenue and fourpn
street. About his home are to be found
many evidences Of his faith. On the
coffin, which is covered with white
cloth, are the candles and cruclflX. In
other rooms are many other mute VIII
nesses to Mr. Kester's faith, including
the open bible and other books of the
church, which he apparently studies
deeply. He was formerly an expert
furniture builder, learning his trade in
Germany, and has all of his tools and
other apparatus in one room of the
house where he does odd jobs, altho IN
the past few years he has been unable
| to do much of the finer work of his
| craft and devotes the most OF his
working time to tine making of ironing
! boards.
Wife Made Flowers.
| Apparently Mr.. Hester does NOT
think that the fact that he has con-
structed his own coffin is unusual. He
willingly led his interviewer to the
front room, kept clean, neat and cool,
where in one end stands the coffin. In
| a glass topped box on the floor are the
paper flowers, lilies, made by his WIFE
| She was a flower maker and all about
| the room are evidences of her craft. In
| a huge cabinet in one corner, in the
windows and at various places about
! the rooms are beautiful flower Gre
tons of paper. Mr.. Kester takes great
pride in keeping these flowers, remem-
brances of his wife, free from dust and
| other evidences of the ravages Of time.
Mr.. Hester explained that he built
| the collins for his first wife and chill
dren who died in Germany. After his
second wife died and was buried a few
years, he went to the grave to decorate
it, and found that it had sunk down to
the level of the surrounding ground.
He therefore decided to build his own
coffin, making it of clear white. pine,
which he believes better than any
other wood for the purpose. Three
weeks he labored on the coffin, which
has been completed for some time,
about three years he said.
Had Factory Hero.
Following the death of his first wife
and children in Germany, Mr.. Hester
came to this country and directly to
Clinton, arriving here in 1872. He first
worked for Hobein Bros, furniture
makers. Later he had factory and
store Of his own on Fifth avenue, be-
tween First and Second streets. His
machinery was operated by horse
power. Then about thirty-one years
ago he was taken i'll with a complica-
! ton Of diseases and fevers, the result
Of overworls. For twenty eight years
| he was an invalid.
| One night, all of his pain appear
ed to settle in one leg and foot. Dur
ing all of the years Of his illness, he
was unable to work, altho at one
time, he was employed at the Curtis
Bros factory but it was not long
until he was unable to do any work
even tho every convenience was
provided and eevry effort made to
1 assist him. When some travelling
Il
| Mr. Kester went to them for treat
\ fact that he regained the use Of his
| leg and foot on Christmas eve, three
! years ago.
| All is Useless.
! But tho he recovered from the
material ailments, the insidious hand
| of advancing age has been laid heavily
on him and tho he appears to be well
| and healthy, he no longer is able to
| do the fine carving. joining and fin
| fishing at which he was once a master.
| In his barn are stored the old horse
| power machinery which he used in his
| furniture factory, together with many
other well made and once valuable
! articles used in his business.
| In his shop, monument to the
| stability with which tools and appa-
ratus were built in Germany years ago,
are his work bench. tools and other
paraphernalia, which he sometimes
uses on odd jobs now. But they are
practically useless now and the aged
man handles them tenderly and loving
| ly Many of them were made by him
| self and show few Of the marks Of age
| In fact nature has been far more gra-
cious to the handiwork of the clever
maker than to the maker, himself.
| Mr. Kester has daughter, mar
ried and living in Clinton; and a son
residing in Rock Island. A step
into his front dooryard and the home,
where he lives alone, is like drawing
| a Whit Of breath from the olden times.
In the yard are many flowers. plants
| and vines. The house itself is OF
ancient design and on the interior has
that cool, inviting and restful atmos-
phere, SO familiar in the homes. which
are now most a memory. with the ad-
| vance of modern conveniences.
L