Easter, Mona Jeanne

 Three days before her 92^nd birthday Mona Jeanne Keesling Easter passed from this world.  Born on December 24, 1924, she lived a full life of service to her children, her husband, her church and her friends.  Her unconditional love and generous spirit will be missed by everyone whose life she touched.

  Mona Jeanne arrived in this world as the first daughter to Harold and Francis Sweem Keesling in Kansas City, Missouri.  Early important influences that she remembered vividly and often talked about included playing flute in the Fredonia, Kansas Municipal Band.  She developed a love and enthusiasm for music so great that it sparked that same passion with the other members of her family.  Every family member to a greater or lesser extent participated in music making, including her husband Wally who endeavored briefly to learn to play the trumpet.

  Leaving the Kansas City region, the Keesling family moved to Washington, DC.   Harold supported his family which grew to include seven children as proof-reader for the Congressional Record.  Mona Jeanne graduated from George Washington University where she distinguished herself academically and was tapped for membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

  The Keesling family attended the Sherwood Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC where Mona Jeanne caught the eye of a member of the choir who was a son of the choir director.  Wallace “Wally” Easter was quick to the conclusion that Mona Jeanne Keesling was to be the love of his life.   The couple married on August 10, 1946.  Wally had studied for the ministry and was called to a Presbyterian church in Niagara Falls, NY.   Mona Jeanne was always an active supporter of the work of her husband and participated prominently in church activities with committee work and lending her musical talents to the church choir.

  Mona Jeanne’s family included three children when they were in Lackawanna, NY serving the Bethel Presbyterian Church and moved in 1956 to Clarence, NY to lead the Clarence Presbyterian Church.  While in Clarence two more children were born.  With children reaching college age the family relocated to Amherst, NY in 1969 when Wally became Associate Pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Buffalo.  With the children in college or old enough to care for themselves, Mona Jeanne earned a Master of Library Science from the University of Buffalo and served as librarian for the Buffalo and Erie County Libraries and the main branch in Buffalo and later as the head librarian for the library in Orchard Park.  Another move seemed right when Wally was called to the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1977. With children in college or careers, Mona Jeanne found a place with the Nebraska Library Commission at the library of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.  She also developed a strong interest in the art of quilting.

  Widowed in 2001, Mona Jeanne returned to Penfield, New York to be closer to family.  She was an active member of the Penfield Presbyterian Church, the Genesee Valley Quilters Association and Knit Wits at the Penfield Presbyterian Church. She deeply appreciated the support and friendship of her quilter friends and church family.

  Mona Jeanne was preceded in death by her siblings Harold Charles Keesling Jr., Donnalee Butterfield Keesling Peterson and Hugh Conrad Keesling.  She is survived by siblings Max Keesling, Carol Gehlsen, Marcia Feld and her five children: Wallace Easter II, Denice Markley, Stuart Easter, Lawrence Easter and Melanie Easter Schwind.  Mona Jeanne’s children added to her joy by giving her nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.