Arnold W. Kuester, 92, passed away peacefully Sunday, April 1, 2007 at the Owensville Convalescent Center.

He was born on May 7, 1914, the youngest child of Fred and Matilda Kuester on a farm southeast of Princeton, In.

He was a lifetime grain and dairy farmer. Arnold was a member of the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Fort Branch, IN and the Knights of St. John #345 in Haubstadt, IN. He loved farming, dancing, talking to people, family Easter egg hunts, and his beloved wife and family. He lived these past months without complaint, with patience, with gratitude, even good humor. He often praised the “Angels” at Owensville Convalescent Center and we join that praise. We will miss him and may God be with him.

He was preceded in death by sisters, Katie Rosemeyer, Myrtle Zimmerman, Lorene Sollman, Hulda Hasslebrink, and brothers William, John, and Edwin Kuester.

Arnold is survived by his wife of 67 years, Vernita (Schaefer) Kuester; four daughters Jo Ann (Mike) Marquess of Arkansas, Coleen (Wayne) King of Huntingburg, Celesta (Richard) Thompson of Sullivan, Bernadine (Bill) Read of Elberfeld; three sons, Fred (Martha) Kuester of Fort Branch, Devon (Janet) Kuester of Fort Branch, Thomas Kuester of Tennessee; twenty-one grandchildren; thirty-three great-grandchildren.

A mass of Christian burial will be 11:00 A.M., Wednesday, April 4, 2007 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Fort branch, IN with Reverend Father Anthony Ernst, Reverend Father Gary Kaiser, and Reverend Father Bernard Lutz officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 from 2:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M at the Stodghil Funeral Home located on Hwy. 168 West in Fort Branch, IN, where a rosary will be recited by the church parish 7:30 P.M at the funeral home that evening. The body will also lay in state at the church on Wednesday morning from 9:00 A.M. until service time.