Irene Kiester

Nov 5, 2008

Funeral services for Irene Minnie (Neis) Kiester,96, Wellsville, will be at 2 p.m.Saturday at Wilson’s Funeral Home, Wellsville. Interment will follow in the Wellsville Cemetery.
Mrs. Kiester died Monday, November 3, 2008 Wellsville Retirement Community.
She was born October 18, 1912, near Wellsville, the daughter of Albert F. and Anna Marie (Mary) Brecheisen Neis.
She graduated valedictorian from Wellsville High School in 1930.
In September, 1930 she became a teacher in the rural Douglas County Schools of Adeline, Prospect and Hesper for eight years. In 1941, she graduated Kansas University with a bachelor’s degree in Education. She was a member of Pi Lamba Theta, National Honorary Education Sorority, and Miller Scholarship Hall. The following fall she began her secondary teaching career as a Business Education teacher at the Linwood Rural High School. She subsequently taught in the high schools at Wellsville and Basehor, retiring in 1972. She taught for 25 years in the Basehor-Linwood School in Basehor.
In 1946 she was united in marriage to Ward L. Kiester. They had a son, Ward L. Kiester II. They preceded her in death.
Irene was a member of the Basehor United Methodist Church, the Basehor United Methodist Women, the Kansas University Alumni Association, the Order of Eastern Star of Wellsville, Life member of the Kansas Retired Teachers Association and also a member of the Leavenworth Area Retired Teachers Association, the American Association of Retired Persons, the National Retired Teachers Association, Leavenworth County Historical Society, Basehor Community Library, Basehor Historical Museum Association, Today Club of K.S. Republican Party, National Republican Party and the Leavenworth County Republican Party.
She served as Leavenworth County Precinct Committeewoman for years and also on the Kiwanas Foundation Scholarship Commission and for the second division.
Visitation will be from 1to 2 p.m. Saturday, one hour prior to services. Memorial contributions may be made to the Basehor Historical Museum Association in care of Wilson’s, PO Box 486, Wellsville, KS 66092.