Hester was born May 3, 1920, at Summerfield, Okla., to Elzie and Rosetta (Earls) Pickle.
He served in the U.S. Army and was a World War II veteran.
He was a steel worker for Jones & Laughlin in Fairfax for many years and also worked at a tree nursery in Neosho, Mo.
Many of his retirement years were spent in Ritchey, Mo., Liberal, Mo., and Lamar, Mo. He moved to Pittsburg in 2001 to be near family.
Hester was a faithful member of the Church of Christ his entire life.
Survivors include two sons, Bill Pickle of Arkansas and Tom Pickle and his wife, Paula, of North Kansas City, Mo.; two daughters, Jean Giddens and her husband, Jerry, of Parsons and Rozie Mein and her husband, Kevin, of Pittsburg; four brothers, Luke Pickle and his wife, Velma, of Parkville, Mo., Elzie Pickle of North Kansas City, Mo., Mark Pickle and his wife, Edith, of Jay, Okla., and George Pickle and his wife, Jewell, of Bokoshe, Okla.; two sisters, Rosalee Shirley and her husband, Frank, of Jay, Okla., and Margaret Ellen Kilgore and her husband, Howard, of Liberty, Mo.; a half-brother, Clifton McClung of Kansas City, Mo.; 12 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jessie (Creamer) Pickle, in 1988; his parents, Elzie and Rosetta Pickle; a son, Don Pickle; five brothers, Marvin Pickle, Gilbert Pickle, Forrest Pickle, Bob McClung and Ray McClung; two sisters, Thelma Owens and Lucille Turner; and a great-granddaughter, Natalie Pickle.
The service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Daniel Funeral Home, Lamar, Mo., with Ken Hicks officiating. A graveside committal service and military honors will be conducted at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Summerfield Cemetery in Summerfield, Okla.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association in care of Daniel Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be left at www.danielfuneralhome.net.
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