Tessie V. Lester was born October 26, 1902, at Soldier, Iowa, the daughter of Sever and Bell (Peterson) Berg.

When she was 4 years old, her mother died and she was raised by her father and her brothers and sisters.

She grew up and received her education in the Soldier area.  As a young lady she worked as a telephone operator in the Chamberlain, South Dakota, community and this is where she met her future husband, Aubrey Lester.

Tessie was united in marriage to Aubrey Lester on July 23, 1921, at Chamberlain.  They made their home on his parents' homestead in the Lyman community.

In 1950 the family moved to Interior, where she worked at the Cedar Pass Lodge and later as a cook at the Interior School for many years.

They resided at Interior until 1991, when they moved to Whitewood, where they made their home with their daughter and son-in-law, Lana and Ronald Hill.  Because of health reasons, they moved into the Belle Fourche Health Care Center on August 4, 1997.

Tessie was a member of the Interior Presbyterian Church of Interior.

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Aubrey Lester of Belle Fourche; three sons, Clinton Lester of Glendale, Arizona, Cletus Lester of Spearfish, and Gary Lester of Deadwood; two daughters, Joyce Brandt of Rapid City and Lana Hill of Whitewood; 23 grandchildren; 54 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Tessie was preceded in death by one son, Duane Lester; a grandson, Steven Lester; her parents; seven sisters and one brother.

A memorial is established.

Services
Monday, October 13, 1997
2:00 p.m.
Interior School Gym
Interior, South Dakota

Officiating
Pastor Harold R. Brink

Music
Valerie Guptill - Organist
Tom Clark - Vocalist

Ushers
Ronnie Gartner - Matt Harvey

Active Pallbearers
Terry Lester - Doug Brandt - Bob Lester
Randy Lester - Craig Lester - Kelly Lester
Tom Lester - Jim Lester - Jack Lester
Tim Lester - Ken Lester

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Interior Cemetery
Interior, South Dakota