Donald Lee Koester, 91 of Akron, died on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at The Legacy in Sterling. The family will greet friends from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, Thursday, March 28 at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home. A Funeral service will be 11:00 am, Friday, March 29 at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home, the Rev. Jodie Harless officiating. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery immediately following.

Don was born on January 26, 1928, the third child of August and Elfrieda (Kulbe) Koester.  He attended Rock Point country school for grades 1-4, and Prairie View in Padroni for grades 5-8. He graduated from Padroni High School as Salutatorian in 1945.  The following year he drove a school bus from September until April and worked at the Padroni Service Station which he owned and operated with his brother Stan.  Don joined the Navy in April 1946 and served until January 1948.  He was stationed at Aiea Naval Hospital on Oahu for 18 months of his service.  Following his discharge, Don worked for Junior and Betty Dickenson.

Don married Theresa Catherine Fehringer on September 8, 1949 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Peetz. They lived on a rented farm near Padroni.  Don worked at the GW Sugarbeet Factory during beet harvest from October through December for 3 years.  He also rough necked in the oil fields for about a year, all while tending to the farm he was living on.

Don and Theresa moved to the ranch they occupied until just recently on December 8, 1954.  For the first 10 years, they worked the ranch for shares with the owner Ed Tunison.  They purchased the ranch from Mr. Tunison in 1964. Don and Theresa built all the buildings on the ranch except the barns. They built the current house in 1966.

Don joined the Sterling Elks Lodge in 1960 and enjoyed taking the kids to the swimming pool there. He served on the advisory boards of the Livestock Extension and CSU Research Center.  He also served on the Buffalo RE4j school board for several years. Don enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren participate in their school and sports activities. His favorite thing to do, even in his later years, was work on the farm and ranch with his son Dave. He loved to be out with his cows, going to the sale barn, and playing cards.

Don is survived by his wife Theresa, his children Ken and Peggy Koester, Donna and Mike Blin, Ron and Deb Koester, Dean Koester, Dave and Luann Koester, and Trina and Jerry Bellendir, fourteen grandchildren and their spouses, twenty great grandchildren, brothers, Stan, Vern (Slim) and wife Barb, and Leo, as well as many nieces and nephews and their spouses and families.

He was preceded in death by his parents, August and Elfrieda (Kulbe) Koester, his sister, Alice Shepherd, grandson Terry Schell, daughter-in-law, Jaci Koester, and several beloved brothers and sisters in laws.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Don Koester Memorial to be split between Denver Children's Hospital Pediatric Cardiology Unit and Omaha Children's Hospital Pediatric Oncology Unit, where two of Don's great grandchildren are receiving lifesaving care.