Mary Lou Kesner, of Fort Smith, went to meet her heavenly Father at 2:31 p.m. on June 14, 2020 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Born on February 11, 1928, she grew up in Ozark, Arkansas and moved to Fort Smith. She married O. Dale Kesner on April 25, 1950 and moved to Virginia Beach where she used her business degree. She returned to Arkansas and served in the children’s ministry in a variety of churches, County Avenue Baptist in Texarkana, and two in Fort Smith, Cavanaugh Baptist and Eastside Baptist.
She was a member and president of a variety of organizations, including the Fort Smith Symphony Guild, garden clubs in Texarkana and Fort Smith, and Fort Nightly. After being unable to have a child, she adopted a daughter in 1963, and then proceeded to focus much of her time and energy on her husband and child. She selected the Fort Smith home and neighborhood based on the schools her daughter would attend. At one point, she even applied and got jobs at Marie’s and the Boston Store in order to buy nice clothes for her teenage daughter. When “Daddy” put his foot down about their teenager owning a car, she loaned her green LaBaron for Bonnie to drive to school occasionally. Bonnie even got to cruise Grand in the Monte Carlo on the night of a Northside Southside game. Mrs. Kesner sat down with the director of Baptist Student Housing in Fayetteville to fuss at him about his opinion that her daughter could not handle all of the requirements of Baptist Student housing, college classes, and pledging a sorority.
She centered her life around her husband and daughter. Once Bonnie had a family of her own, she turned her attention to her husband and made certain he had everything he wanted from tools in his workshop, and a knife and cane collection. Mary Lou Kesner loved to be in control, so near the end she even told everybody to “hurry,” either get off the phone, or for the CNAs of Elite Home Health to take care of her and leave the room. We are grateful for the nurses, and physical and occupational therapists of Elite Home Health for giving her hope and comfort these last few weeks, and especially grateful to the CNAs and staff for always being there to care and feed her for the last two years of her life and grant her wish to die in her own home.
Preceded in death by her husband, O. Dale Kesner; father, Jack Whitson, Sr.; mother, Bertha English Whitson; brother, Jack Whitson, Jr.; sister, Gelene Whitson Mainard and husband Clifton Mainard; nephew, Jim Mainard and his wife Judy Mason Mainard; brothers-in-law, J.W. Kesner, Jr., Winfred “Wimpy” Kesner and Herbert Kesner; and sister-in-law, and Maribel Kesner Swearingen
She is survived by her daughter, Bonnie Dale Curlin, and Jay Curlin, son-in-law; grandchildren, Christopher Curlin and wife Liz Lowe Curlin, Adam Curlin, Jason Curlin, Gideon Curlin and wife Megan Schofield, Charity Curlin, Gabriel Curlin, and Benjamin Curlin; great grandchildren, Calyon, Maxwell, and Julia Rose, and Jessie and Rileigh; great nephew, Jay Mainard and wife Kaitlyn Mainard; sister-in-law, Norma Helmert Whitson; brother-in-law, Mark Kesner and wife Marcelle; nephews, Steve Kesner (Brenda Corbin Kesner), David Kesner (Brenda Leslie Kesner), Brent Kesner (Amy Camp Kesner), “Jay” Phillip Swearingen (Valerie); nieces, Beverly Hansen, Barbara Buras, Phyllis Russell (James), Kathy Austin (Buddy), Rosemary Geren (Terry), Keni Swearingen Rodgers (John), Leslie Swearingen Banner.
Viewing will be at Edwards Funeral Home, 201 North 12th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas from 9 AM to 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 17, 2020, and the family will be present from 5-7 PM.
Services will be at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel, 201 North 12th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 10 AM Thursday, June 18, 2020.
Online condolences may be sent to www.edwardsfuneralhome.com
