Hello, dear friends and family.
As we gather with our loved ones this holiday season, we want to take a moment to remember the life of an extraordinary woman, Marianne Hester. Marianne may have left this earth on September 19, 2024, but her spirit and memory live on within each of us. Born on September 6, 1941, Marianne was a force of nature—a vibrant spirit with a quiet strength that resonated with everyone she met.
Marianne wasn’t just a scholar back in her school days at St. Peter Catholic School in Skokie and St. Scholastica High in Chicago. She graduated in 1959, leaving a legacy of charm and beauty, even appearing on The Skokie Review’s cover as Skokie’s Miss Little League!
One of Tom’s favorite stories to tell was the incredibly romantic story of how he and Marianne met. It was a sunlit picnic on Memorial Day in 1959 in Wauconda, and a chance meeting and several persistent phone calls blossomed into a 60-year love story. Together, they built a wonderful life, nurturing a bustling family of four children, Jeffrey, Thomas, Daniel, and Stephen, and leaving a legacy of 14 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Marianne was more than just a loving wife and mother. She was also a sports enthusiast through and through. Whether she was fiercely competing on the tennis courts or cheering her heart out for the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Cubs, you could always find Marianne where the excitement was.
Marianne was also the quiet force and strength that kept Hester Painting & Decorating thriving over 30 years. Just ask any of the painters who were around then and you’ll likely hear a hilarious story of how Marianne kept them all in line!
Family and travel were her passions, especially to their homes on Lake Delavan, WI, and in sunny Cape Coral, FL. And she also loved those cruises, particularly the Screaming Orphans cruises—each one was a cherished adventure. Speaking of cherished memories, the family jaunts to Ireland were unforgettable.
We hold Marianne in our hearts as a beloved wife to the late Thomas, a dear mother to Jeffrey (Julie), Thomas (Jennifer), Stephen (Heather), and the late Daniel. She was a loving grandmother and an adoring great-grandmother. As a sister to Janet (Frank) Parrilli and the late Joan Bressett and Trudy Kenney, Marianne filled roles that were as meaningful as they were plentiful.
As we sit with our warm cups of holiday cheer and even warmer memories, let’s honor Marianne not just by remembering how she left us, but by cherishing how she lived—a life full of love, laughter, and an indomitable spirit. Here’s to Marianne, a legend in her own fiercely gentle way.
All our love!
