Lawrence "Bub" Wilbur Kesterson Jr.

Lawrence "Bub" Wilbur Kesterson Jr., 81, of Jackson, Missouri, passed away Friday, August 28, 2026, surrounded by family at Heartland Care and Rehab Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He was born November 15, 1944, to the late Lawrence Wilbur Kesterson Sr. and Ruth Irene (Durbin) Kesterson in Portageville, Missouri.

Lawrence was a man who worked tirelessly to provide for his family. From cutting wood all summer to prepare for winter, to hunting and fishing to keep the freezers full, he seldom took a break from hard work. He could often be found on the banks of the Mississippi River catching catfish. If he came home empty-handed, you could be assured that he would have a story about the "one that got away." He also enjoyed hunting of any kind, especially deer hunting.

Lawrence spent most of his career working as a maintenance supervisor at Thorngate in Chaffee, Missouri, until it closed. He then went into construction until he retired in 2009. In his earlier years, he spent time working in lead mines.

Bub is survived by his two sons, Alan Kesterson and Christopher Kesterson; two sisters, Wilma Jean Poley and Debra Kesterson-Booker; a brother, Ronald Kesterson; three grandchildren, Austin Kesterson, Emily Kesterson, and McKala Henson; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Ruth Ann Stickel and Paulette Kuenzle.

Per his wishes, he will be cremated and no services will be held. Lawrence loved having a fish fry, so in his honor, one will be held at a later date as his celebration of life.