Robert Jackson Hester

Jack was born in 1924 in Taylor County, Texas near the town of Merkel. He was a son of Henry W. Hester and Cora Hays Hester, pioneer farmers of Taylor County. He was educated in the Salt Branch and Merkel School system, graduating from Merkel High School in 1942. Immediately after high school he volunteered for the Army Air Corps where he served until 1946. After discharge from the Army Air Corp he enrolled at Texas Technological University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Geology in 1949.

In January 1952, he married Ramah Sue Kidd in Woodville, Texas. They had two children, Lynn Hester Shuler, of San Marcos, Texas and John Hester of Austin, Texas.

Mr. Hester’s work took him to Midland, Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas, Dallas, Texas and Houston, Texas. The Hester’s considered Houston their home. They were active members of the First Baptist Church of Midland and the First Baptist Church of Corpus Christi. In Dallas they were active members of Parks Cities Baptist Church. In Houston they became members of Tallowood Baptist Church, first in 1968, then after a short sojourn in Dallas from 1983 through 1987 they returned to Houston at retirement and again joined Tallowood Baptist Church. He was employed first by Rotary Engineering Company of Midland, Texas, then by Phillips Petroleum Company, Cosden Oil and Chemical Company and Fina Oil and Chemical Company, in each company’s Oil and Gas Exploration Department. At retirement, in 1986 he was with Fina Oil and Chemical Company.

Mr. Hester is survived by his wife Ramah Sue Hester, daughter Lynn and husband Wiley Shuler of San Marcos, Texas, son John and his wife Connie of Austin, Texas and grandchildren James Shuler and wife Ashley, of Katy, Cora Shuler Rodenbusch and husband, Will Rodenbusch, of Austin and a sister, Mary Alice Hester Young of Abilene. His is also survived by 4 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Memorial Hermann Hospital and Vitas Hospice for their loving care of our husband, dad, grandfather and friend.