Hester Mae Vessell

Hester was a jewel to all who knew and loved her. She was a woman of faith, and a founding member of the Union United Methodist Church in Belleville, Illinois. She was known as being a caring and selfless person. Hester was a champion ping pong player, and enjoyed cooking, baking, and feeding her loved ones. She worked as a switch board operator during World War II, and for the government as a recreation instructor, and retired after 21 years from Memorial Hospital as a Dietary Supervisor. Sharing time with her family and friends was always of great importance to Hester. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband; John William Vessell Jr; her daughter, Carla Hyten; her grandson Chris Schrand; her parents Jesse Rogers and Lulu Jane (nee Hall) Summers; and her brothers, Robert, Cleo, Loudy “Shorty” and Muncie.

Surviving to cherish her memory are her loving children; Steven (Wendy) Vessell and Paula (John) Schrand; grandchildren, Richard (Melissa) Vessell, Rebecca Vessell, Jessica (Josh) Stell, Matthew Macek, Michael (Julie) Schrand, Timothy (Janet) Schrand, Laura (Lyle) DeWitt, Mark (Julie) Schrand, John (Melissa) Schrand, Ty (fiancé Shannon) Hyten, Michael (Olivia) Hyten and Shelli Hyten; great-grandchildren, Kirk, Sara, Abbie, Simon, Triston, Wyatt, Sawyer, Jaclyn (Scott), Ashley, Michael Jr., Tammy, Kaitlynn, Danielle (Dustin), Brittany, Caroline, Addison, Langston, Lily, Emma, Brooke, Chloe, Sam, Will, Dillon, Charlie, and Sawyer; great-great grandchildren, Nola, Peyson, Lucas, Bentley and Hunter and a number of dear relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Union United Methodist Church, Belleville, Illinois or Vitas Hospice. Additional condolences may be made online at www.lakeviewfuneralhm.com

Friends and family may visit from 11am to 1pm, Monday, May 1, 2017, Lake View Funeral Home, Fairview Heights, Illinois. Funeral services will be held immediately following the visitation at 1 pm, with Pastor Harvey Gather, in affiliation with Union United Methodist Church, Belleville, Illinois, officiating. Interment will follow in Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, Illinois.