Hester E. Buswell was born January 18, 1897, in Iowa to J.P. and Hattie (Beemis) Buswell.

At the age of ten she moved with her family to the Philip area.  She grew up on a homestead 20 miles notheast of Philip and received her education in that area.  As a young lady she obtained her teaching certificate and taught for eight years in Haakon County rural schools.

She was united in marriage to Oscar M. Markwed on September 24, 1923, at Rapid City, South Dakota.

They lived on various ranches in Haakon County prior to purchasing a ranch in the Kirley area in Haakon County, which they operated until 1938 when they moved into Philip.  While in Philip her husband was Haakon County Auditor for several years.  In 1943 they moved to Winner, South Dakota, where her husband worked for the Federal Land Bank.  In 1947 they moved to Pierre, where he worked for the Chicago Cattle Company until the mid-1950s when they purchased a ranch 11 and one-half miles east of Philip, which they operated until 1976 when they retired and moved into Philip.

After her husband's death on August 12, 1980, she continued to live in Philip until 1984 when she moved to Rapid City.  In May of 1989, because of health reasons, she entered the Philip Nursing Home, where she resided until December of 1989 when she moved to Custer, South Dakota, where she has since made her home with her daughter, Darlene Tubbs.

Hester was a former member of the First Lutheran Church of Philip and the Ladies Aid of the church.

Grateful for having shared her life are her daughter, Darlene Tubbs of Custer; 7 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one brother-in-law, Emery Markwed of Ft. Pierre; three sisters-in-law, Edna Buswell of Philip, Agnes David of Pierre, and Anne Beckwith of Pierre; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Earl Markwed; her parents; three brothers; and two sisters.

Services
Friday, April 2, 1993
10:00 a.m.
First Lutheran Church
Philip, South Dakota

Officiating
Reverend Hans Sacrison

Music
Lorna Wheeler - Organist
Joani Hunt - Vocalist
"In The Garden"
"How Great Thou Art"

Ushers
Don Schofield - Tom Schofield
Norman Payne

Active Pallbearers
Durward Wheeler - Bill O'Connor
Buddy Coyle - Neal Cronk
Bob Schofield - Geno Hunt

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Masonic Cemetery
Philip, South Dakota