James "Jim" Kester

James "Jim" Kester

Nashville, TN

James Jennings "Jim" Kester passed away Saturday, January 23, 2016, at the age of 80, at his home in Nashville, TN. Jim is survived by his wife, Mary Kathleen Nutter Kester; daughter, Lori Ann (Greg) Grizzell; granddaughter, Haley Morgan Grizzell and nieces Glenna Jackson Williams and Kay Jackson Louther. He was preceded in death by his parents, James H. "Hal" and Goldie Stull Kester and two sisters, Kathleen Kester Jackson and Evelyn Kester Jackson.

Jim had been retired for several years from the Kroger Company. He had also served as pastor in the Church of the Nazarene in Kentucky and West Virginia. A graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University, Jim continued his education at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. His first pastorate was at Murray, Kentucky and his last in Elizabeth, West Virginia.

Jim will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather who always had a twinkle in his eye when his girls were around, and as a farmer at heart who usually found a way to have a small garden, or at least tomato plants, wherever he lived.

To celebrate his life, Pastor Dan Meek will conduct a memorial service on Saturday, January 30, at 10:00 a.m. at Broadway Church of the Nazarene in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Burial will be at Sunset Memory Gardens in a plot selected by Jim and Kathleen when they were in college.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson St., Nashville, TN 37203 or to Grace Church of the Nazarene, 2620 Pennington Bend Rd., Nashville, TN 37214.

Arrangements were made by Austin Funeral & Cremation Services in Brentwood, Tennessee, and by Sunset Memorial Funeral Home in Parkersburg, West Virginia. An online guestbook is available at AustinFuneralService.com 615-377-0775