Beatrice Kesselring

A celebration of life for Beatrice "Bea" M. Kesselring, 93, will be held Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 10:00AM at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona with Pastor Randy Harker officiating.  Burial will follow at Memory Gardens in Iowa City.  Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 9 from 2-4 and 5-7PM at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona.  A memorial fund has been established for the Windham Community Church. Bea Kesselring died Friday, August 05, 2011 at Highland Ridge Care Center in Williamsburg following a decline in health. Beatrice Mildred Vesely was born December 29, 1917 in rural North English, the daughter of Edward and Helen (Jelinek) Vesely.  She graduated from University High in Iowa City and achieved her teaching certification from the University of Northern Iowa.  Bea taught country school in Iowa County.  On January 31, 1939 she was united in marriage to Carroll J. Kesselring at the Sharon Center United Methodist parsonage.  Bea was a homemaker and later worked as a cook at Mercy Hospital.  She also worked at ACT in Iowa City and was a tour guide at the Kalona Historical Village.  Bea was a member of the Windham Community Church, Alpha Club, the Kalona Rebekah Lodge, and the women's breakfast club.  She enjoyed baking, gardening, flowers, bowling and spending time with the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Survivors include three children, Ron (Sarajane) Kesselring of Ukiah, CA, Gordon Kesselring of Oklahoma City, OK, Marcia (Don) Steckly of Wellman, IA, eight grandchildren, Tim Kesselring, Janie Lisinski, Bill Kesselring, Brian Kesselring, Kevin Kesselring, Mark Steckly, Mike Steckly, and Megan Mills, 14 great grandchildren, one sister, Charlotte Campbell of Oxford, IA, one brother Ray Vesely of Washington state and one sister in law, Colleen Vesely of Williamsburg, IA. Preceding Bea in death were her parents, her husband Carroll on June 1, 1981, one brother, Edward "Bud" Vesely, one brother in law, Roland Campbell and one daughter in law, Linda Kesselring.