Dan Fester

Daniel "Dan" Wayne Fester, 68, a resident of Jefferson City, MO, passed away unexpectedly on January 21, 2025, while at home with his wife. Dan left behind a legacy of love, service, and laughter.
Dan was born on June 5, 1956, in St. Louis, MO, to Mary Patricia "Pat" and George Richard "Rick" Fester.
On June 14, 1986, he married the love of his life Rita Ann Corman at St. Peter Church in Jefferson City. Together, they spent over 38 wonderful years, building a life full of love and adventure.
He loved family and was the go-to guy when needed. He offered moral support, gave handyman assistance, and regularly maintained his mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law's properties. He loved being an older brother in a big family and always enjoyed spending time with relatives.
Dan had a big heart and loved life. He was a loyal, loving son, brother, husband, and father. His family will forever treasure and share his stories and all the memories that were made together. Dan will be deeply missed by all those who knew him, and his impact on those around him will never be forgotten.
Growing up, Dan spent summers on his grandparents' dairy farm, helping milk cows and hauling hay, and those hard-working values stuck with him throughout his life. He graduated from Rolla High School in 1974, where he was on the wrestling team. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Agricultural Economics from Lincoln University in 1982. He also received a Masters of Public Administration from University of Missouri Columbia in 1992.
Dan's work ethic was evident throughout his career. After graduating from Lincoln, he worked as an insurance adjustor at Farm Bureau in Jefferson City. He then furthered his career with the Department of Social Services in Columbia, MO.
Then began his career with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in Jefferson City, where he worked from 1987-2020. He received a Missouri Governor's Award for a scrap tire waste recycling program, and his colleagues recognized him for leadership, environmental awareness, and his work with solid waste policy. He was a Unit Chief in the Solid Waste Division when he retired on June 30, 2020.
During his career at DNR, Dan made many life-long friends and cherished those friendships into retirement. Over the years, they lent a hand to each other's families when needed and spent many happy hours together.
Dan was a generous and committed member of his communities. He was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church. He was also a 36-year member of the Jefferson City Optimist Club and volunteered at the Optimist Club Christmas tree lot for over 25 years. He was President of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 429 in 1993.
Dan loved airplanes and attained his Private Pilot License at age 17. For over 30 years, he regularly attended and camped out for a week at the annual Oshkosh Air Show. Dan's site was the one where the itinerants of the world, arriving at Oshkosh for the first time, lost, needing a place to pitch a tent and finding no available spaces, would land and spend the week. He was thrilled to go on a P-51 flight while at Oshkosh in 2016. His Oshkosh buddies remember Dan always saying, "It's all good."
Other hobbies he enjoyed included deer hunting, golfing, and fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks. He enjoyed days spent river canoeing with his dad. He loved the outdoors and motorcycles. Rita and Dan have been members of the JC Show-Me Bootscooters since 2004. The two of them enjoyed dancing and going to dance workshops. When he wasn't outdoors, you could find him watching the KC Chiefs and cheering them on.
Dan and Rita enjoyed vacationing at Pensacola Beach for over 20 years where they spent their time enjoying the sand, sun, and surf and eating seafood. There, they met some of their good friends from New Orleans at the Escambia Bay Homebrewers Festival that they attended often, where Dan helped cook the gumbo.
He will be sadly missed and forever remembered by his loving wife Rita and his much-loved daughter Heather Renae Fester. He is also survived by his brothers Joe Fester (Debra), John Fester (Tommie), Mike Fester (Kay), and Sarah Fester Auxier. His legacy of love and warmth lives on through his many nieces and nephews and their children.
He was preceded in death by his parents Patricia "Pat" Smallwood and George Richard "Rick" Fester, along with step-parents Richard "Dick" Smallwood and Judy Fester. He was also preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Norbert "Chip" and Norma Burkemper and his paternal grandparents George and Dorothy Fester. Tragically, he was preceded in death by his nephew Justin Fester.
Friends and family will be received at Freeman Mortuary from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Monday, January 27, 2025.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at St. Peter Catholic Church with The Reverend Monsignor Robert A. Kurwicki V.G. and Deacon David Thompson officiating. Graveside services and interment will be held at Riverview Cemetery.
A webcast of Dan's service will begin at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday for friends that are not able to attend by going to his memorial page and clicking the Watch Now button. Condolences may be left for the family on his memorial page as well.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Central Missouri Honor Flight organization that transports veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit and reflect on the memorials at no cost to them, 1400 Forum Blvd, Ste 7-A, Box 334, Columbia, MO 65203, or the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri and Kansas, 13523 Barrett Parkway Dr., Suite 241, Ballwin, MO 63021, or St. Peter Catholic Church, 216 Broadway, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Freeman Mortuary, 915 Madison St, Jefferson City, MO 65101. To send flowers to the family of Dan Fester, please visit our floral store.