Louise Hester

Funeral services for Louise Aldridge Hester, 96, of Benoit, will be at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Benoit Union Church. There will be a visitation from 1:00 p.m. until the service time. Burial will be in the Burrus Cemetery. She passed away in the early morning hours on Friday, October 24, 2025, at her home, surrounded by family.

She was born on July 26, 1929, in Union County, MS, to Lonzo Thomas and Jessie Garrison Aldridge. Louise received her early education at Keonville Elementary and graduated from Center High School in 1947. After graduation, she attended Wood Junior College in Mathiston, MS, for her freshman and sophomore years. She then graduated in 1951 from Mississippi College in Clinton, MS. Louise received a Library of Science degree in 1964 from Delta State University in Cleveland, MS.

Louise began her career at Benoit Elementary School, working there as a 5th-grade teacher from 1951 until 1953. She met and then married James Edward Hester on May 30, 1953. She continued her teaching career at Mathiston Elementary School for a year before working at the Mitchell Memorial Library at Mississippi State University. After a year there, she did substitute teaching at Benoit Schools from 1955 until 1965. After she received her Library of Science degree, she became a librarian at Benoit High School, where she worked until 1970. She then went on to be the librarian at Benoit Union School until 1971. Louise continued her career working at Greenville Christian School, where she was a social studies teacher and high school librarian, working there until 1981. Her last teaching/librarian position was held at Our Lady of Lourdes, where she worked from 1982 until 1990, at which time she retired.

Louise was active in the community, serving in several different capacities, which included: Bolivar County Farm Bureau Women's Committee Co-Chairperson, Bolivar County 4-H Club Leader (local and county clubs), and Chairperson for District 7 of the MS Private School Association.

Louise accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at the age of 14 during a Methodist Revival. She began teaching Sunday school at the age of 15 and continued teaching when she could, until she was almost 95. She was a member of Benoit Baptist Church, where she served as secretary, treasurer, clerk, church librarian, and was a choir member.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

She is survived by a son, James Timothy Hester, and his wife, Guy; daughter, Beryl Melinda Hester; five grandchildren, Douglas Landon Hester and wife Sydney, David Barry Hester and wife Leslie, Daniel Scott Hester and wife Jessica, Darren Benjamin Hester and wife Lauren, and Bonnie Kate Hester; and nine great-grandchildren, Sandra Adele Hester, Bruce Edward Hester, Virginia "Ginny" Lillian Hester, Cora Leigh Hester, Jacob Douglas Hester, Audrey Joy Hester, Ellie Louise Hester, Lucy Wren Hester and Millie Hester.

The family requests memorials to be made to the Benoit Union Church general fund or to the donor's favorite charity.