Betty Ann (Johnson) Kesterson, age 88, passed away June 12, 2020 in the care of Great Plains Hospice at Centennial Park, North Platte, NE.
Betty was born January 2, 1932 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the second of five children to Raymond and Inez Johnson. Before the age of five, the family moved to North Platte for her dad's job with Union Pacific. Betty attended school in North Platte from Kindergarten through graduating from Adams Senior High with the class of 1949. She moved to Scottsbluff to attend nursing school but soon returned to North Platte. She was on the right course, however. She was born to be a caregiver. She worked at the telephone company and in 1953, she met Delmar Kesterson and they were married January 15, 1954. In 1958, they moved to the farm east of Maxwell where they farmed, gardened, and raised their family including nieces and nephews. In 1975, they moved to the Bignell homeplace where she lived until 2018 when she moved to assisted living in North Platte.
Betty was a caregiver. She loved her family. All her nieces and nephews were special to her and she had them at the farm as much as possible. Betty cared for her mother at their home in Bignell for several years. She loved all animals and took in any stray that showed up including cats, dogs, and possums. Betty was a gardener and she and Delmar had large gardens which meant lots of canning. Much to her children's dismay, she liked her chickens and every spring meant dozens of baby chicks. In assisted living, she especially enjoyed watching her birds, playing Bingo, going to exercise, and winning the Spelling Bee a few times. She made many friends while at Centennial Park.
Betty is survived by son, Delmar Kesterson Jr, (Angie) of Maxwell; daughter, Sandy Thomas (Max) of Plattsmouth; niece Sue Thomas (Gary) of Blair; grandson, Charley Kesterson (Adriain) of Bignell; granddaughter, Amanda Kesterson (Cody) of Papillion; grandson Curtis Thomas (Jennifer) of Lincoln and great-grandchildren Clinton, Brodie, Emery, Dalton, Christina and Dominic.
She was preceded in death by husband, Delmar, twin daughters Deborah and Diane, daughter Marsha, twin grandchildren, her siblings Geraldine, Bonnie, Mary and Ronnie and her parents.
Her family is thankful for the love and care we enjoyed with mom for eight-eight plus years. She is greatly missed.
Funeral service will be 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at Adams Swanson Funeral Home with the Chaplain Gary Smith officiating. Private family burial will be at Ft McPherson National Cemetery, near Maxwell, NE. Visitation will be noon – 8:00 p.m. Monday, June 15, 2020, at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home.
Funeral service will be live-streamed on Adams and Swanson Funeral Home, Facebook page. Online condolences may be shared at www.admasswanson.com.
Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is assisting family with arrangements.