Charles W. Kester Jr.

Charles Wells Kester, Jr, (June 11, 1931 - Jan. 19, 2022), devoted son of Charles and Amy Helena (Schlieder) Kester and brother of Mary Martha "Irene" Kester, grew up in the Strawberry Mansion section of Philadelphia. In his youth, Charles showed his patriotism and commitment to civic duty by performing scrap and paper drives as a boy scout during WWII.Before serving as an electronics technician aboard the USS Cowell(DD-547) in the US Navy during the Korean conflict, Charles partially completed a degree in accounting at Temple University Charles spent his working career at RCA but his wide and diverse interests were the center of his life. Restoring antique cars, bowling, leading the RCA investment club, sailing, sculling on the Schuylkill River, and flying (he soloed in 1963) were among his many interests. He became active with the Burlington County Library system serving as a board member for The Friends of the Burlington County Library. He assisted with book sales and supervised donations for the Burlington County library’s summer outdoor concert series. Charles enthusiastically sought out knowledge and new experiences. He visited museums of art, museums of antique cars and sculpture gardens. He attended Revolutionary War reenactments and toured many historic homes in the tri-state area. A life-long lover of boats andboating he was a member of the Philadelphia Ship Model Society and enjoyed touring the Battleship New Jersey and the historic ship that brought the first Swedes to the new world: the Kalmar Nyckel. Always a lover of the arts, good food and wine, Charles held season tickets to the Philadelphia Orchestra for many years and loved attending theater on Broadway and in Philadelphia. Charles introduced friends and family to a broad range of ethnic restaurants. But his much anticipated yearly outings were the Strawberry Festival and the Chicken and Waffle dinners at Kulp Church in the Roaring Creek Valley highlighting his appreciation of the simple joys he learned from his humble upbringing during the great depression. A true Renaissance man, Charles was a voracious reader and researcher. He assembled an extensive personal library with books on many subjects reflecting his insatiable search for knowledge. He was an intensive note taker with a command of subjects as diverse as historic architecture and furniture spanning many eras, to natural history, yachting and aviation He used his acquired knowledge in attending, participating and even assisting with area auctions. He loved to share his knowledge and was eager to discuss a wide array of topics with anyone who expressed interest. Charles will be warmly remembered by his first cousins - Sally, Carol, Quentin Jr. and Bryan - through his beloved uncle, Quentin C. Schlieder, who predeceased him in 2016, many Schlieder relatives from central Pennsylvania and his many friends and neighbors from the decades he spent at his historic home in Mount Laurel NJ. Donations in memory of Charles may be made to Friends of Burlington County Library Inc. 5 Pioneer Blvd. Westampton N.J. 08060 Charles requested no funeral service, however, arrangements will be made at a later date for a celebration of his life.

Charles W. Kester Jr.

January 19, 2022