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Obituary

Robert "Bob"? Lee Kester was born to Aaron and Edith Kester on November 9, 1936, in Pomona, California. When Bob was about 10 years old his mother re-married and they moved to Cave Junction, Oregon, where his stepfather was an accountant. Bob was president of the Illinois Valley High School student body and captain of the football team before graduating in June 1954. Bob jumped the 1955 and 1956 seasons at CJ. He completed two years of study at Fresno State University between 1954 and 1955 in the Naval Aviation program and then entered the Naval Flight Academy in Florida in October 1956. After additional flight training and stateside duty stations he was transferred to the Philippines. On March 5, 1962, 1st Lt. Robert Kester was flying an F8U Crusader fighter jet when he was killed in a crash. Bob is buried at the Pomona Valley Memorial Park in Pomona, California next to his mother.

Identifier

Kester_Robert-L_Cave-Junction_1955

Publication Date

January 2002

Keywords

Smokejumping; Smokejumpers -- United States; National Smokejumper Association; Wildfire fighters; Obituaries

Disciplines

Forest Management

Smokejumper Obituary: Kester, Robert L. (Cave Junction 1955)

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