Ernestine Keltner

Ernestine Jerard Keltner, 98, of Kennewick, Washington, formerly of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, was born April 25, 1910, in Pleasant Hill, the only child of the late Hubert and the late Elizabeth (Bailey) Jerard. She departed this life Friday, November 14, 2008, in Kennewick.

In September 1929 she was united in marriage to the late James W. Keltner in Jefferson City, Missouri, and from that union one child was born.

Ernestine was a 1927 graduate of Pleasant Hill High School. She then attended William Jewell College for two years. After living in living in St. Louis & Chicago, she returned to Pleasant Hill and made her home there from 1935 to 1969. Ernistine managed the local grain elevator and flour-mill in Pleasant Hill for Moundridge Milling Company until 1942 when she went to work at the Remington Arms Defense plant at Lake City, Missouri. After the war she was employed by the Davis, Nolan, Merrill Grain Company in Kansas City and then by the Continental Grain Company where she worked for 26 years before retiring in 1975.

Ernestine thoroughly enjoyed her retirement traveling (especially the different places to eat), church work at Holmes wood Baptist Church in Kansas City, and playing bridge and other card games. In 1998 she moved to Kennewick to be closer to her family. She continued with her enjoyment of life locally and traveling to visit grandchildren around Washington. Her cheerful disposition and pleasure of being around people made her life very comfortable until suffering a stroke in 2002. Thanks to special care at Canyon lakes Rest & Rehabilitation, she has still been able to participate in many activities.

She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Jane and Gerald Posakony; her grandchildren Andrea and husband Kevin Scott, Teresa Posakony and husband Steven Donaldson, Julia and husband Mark Cox, and Jeffrey Posakony as well as seven great grandchildren, all of whom live in the Pacific Northwest.

Cremation has been accorded. A private memorial service was held in Richland, Washington.

A local memorial service with inurnment was held Thursday, December 4, 2008, at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery Chapel.