Verna M. Chester

On December 13, 1933 in Dinuba, California, Verna Mae Goertz was born to Jacob and Anna Goertz. She was the third of four children. She grew up on the ranch her father farmed and attended first, Clay Elementary, and then graduated from Kingsburg High School in 1951. After high school, she moved to Fresno, California and worked several jobs as a secretary/receptionist. She met and married Bernhard "Bud" Steinhauer in 1955. They had two daughters, Kathy in 1957 and Kristi in 1958. In 1966, she married Ed Chester and they moved the family back to Kingsburg where she lived the rest of her life. They built a house on 22nd Avenue and lived there for ten+ years. After that, they built their last house together on Stroud, where they lived until Ed passed away in 2011. As the girls married and started families of their own, Ed and Verna had time to travel and spend time with their many friends. They belonged to the Royal Vikings trailer group and traveled together, sharing fun and laughter with everyone they met. They also took many trips abroad and visited many different countries. After Ed's death, Verna never slowed down. She lived independently in the house on Stroud until it became too big to manage. She then moved to Randalyn Creek, where she lived on her own up until the end. She was a "social butterfly". There was never an event or project she said "no" to. Her calendar was always full! It was hard to schedule necessary doctor appointments around her many activities! In the last couple of years, health issues began to claim her energy . . . but she still kept going! Up until her final week on earth, she was attending Bunko games, Pinocle games, getting her hair and nails done, attending church and other Kingsburg activities. You could never stop Verna! Verna is survived by her two daughters, Kathy Ramirez and husband Jim and their two sons Jeffery (Kathryn) and Matthew (Jessica), and Kristi Horstmann and her husband Terry and their three children Jeremy (Kate), Joshua (Erin) and Jill (Steve). She had 12 great-grandchildren: Henry Ramirez (9), Charlotte Ramirez (7), Oliver Ramirez (7), Addison Horstmann (7), Owen Horstmann (6), James Horstmann (6), Jimmy Ramirez (4), Jacob Brett (4), Tommy Brett (4), Samuel Ramirez (4), Eleanor Horstmann (2), and Josiah Montgomery-Inglehart (14). She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased in death by her parents, Jacob and Anna, her siblings Jackie, Hildegard (Jeanne), and Jerry, and her husband Ed. A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, June 14th at 1:00 p.m. at the Kingsburg Historical Park. A luncheon will be served afterwards. The family would like to thank Hinds Hospice, as well as Mary Gonzales and her staff of "angels" for their compassionate and loving of care of mom in her last week of her journey on this earth. We couldn't have done it without you. Remembrances in her honor can be made to the following: Kingsburg Community Church Building Fund Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Kingsburg Cancer Volunteers Services have been entrusted to Salser & Dillard Creighton Chapel. Memorial Tributes and condolences may be offered by logging onto www.salseranddillard.com.

Verna M. Chester

December 13, 1933 - June 4, 2025