WILLIAM W. TESTER

WILLIAM W. TESTER

William W. Tester, 87, of Cloquet, took the hand of Jesus and passed from this life on Wednesday, May 2, 2012.

As a youth, he lived in the Duluth area and graduated from Proctor High School with the class of 1942. He was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagles. He held his fellow servicemen and women in high regard and was to go on an Honor Flight later this month.

He met and married his love of life, Jean Addis, at the University of Montana where he graduated with a BS in pharmacy, and they moved to Iowa City where he obtained a master's degree in hospital pharmacy from the University and headed several departments at university hospitals as an associate professor for almost 25 years before going into private business.

In 1981, he and Jean moved to Florida and lived on Anna Maria Island where he was active with several community organizations and churches. She died in 2000, and he continued living in Florida until 2009 when he moved to Cloquet to be closer to family and to renew old friendships and make new ones.

Bill was a friend to many and had a genuine affection for his fellow man. He enjoyed socializing, gardening, volunteering as a foster grandparent to at-risk children, reading to grade school kids, as well as his own "greats", and serving with Kiwanis. He had a deep and abiding love for his family and will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Mildred (Peterson) Tester; brother Rodney; wife Jean; and daughter Rosalind Kenyon.

William is survived by his sister, Janice (Lloyd) Backus and son Rodney (Sue), both of Cloquet; son William II (Beth Alden) of Iowa City, Iowa; daughters Melanie (Scott) Fleming of Blue Grass, Iowa, and Meribeth (Jeff) Schmidt of Westmont, Ill.; son-in-law Jack Kenyon of St. Joseph, Mo.; as well as 11 grandchildren; and 11 "greats".

MEMORIAL SERVICE: 9 a.m. Friday, May 11, (his birthday) in Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Cloquet.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and may be sent to William Tester memorial fund, c/o Rod Tester, 501 Johnson Ave., Cloquet, MN 55720.

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