OBITUARY

The Greenville News (SC) - Friday, November 30, 2007, Page 21A

GREENVILLE, SC - Effie Kestner Koone Brown, 100, died peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Thursday, November 29, 2007.

Born near Abingdon, Virginia, on July 10, 1907, Mrs. Brown was a daughter of the late Thomas H. and Lily Davenport Kestner. She lived at Miller Oaks Village, Mauldin, S.C. for 21 years of her retirement. She was an exceptional homemaker for most of her long, glorious life but in later life she worked at Poinsett Mill in Greenville, S.C., and later as a caregiver for children and the elderly. In retirement, she enjoyed traveling the United States, Canada, and a special trip to the Holy Land. She was a faithful member of Five Forks Baptist Church and more recently, Roper Mountain Baptist Church. She was an avid gardener. No matter how humble the place, no matter the hardship she was enduring, she created beauty and life with her spectacular vegetable and flower gardens to share with her family and friends.

Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Jack W. (Shirley) Hester of Easley, Mrs. Ted (Bettie) Upton of Shelby, N.C., Mrs. Jim (Nancy) Gilbert of Easley and Mrs. Joe (Patsy) Wall of Spartanburg; one sister, Marjorie K. Cooper of Greenville; one brother, Rev. Smith Kestner of Kingsport, Tennessee; ten grandchildren, Phil Hester, Steve Hester, Bryan Hester, Ron Upton, Alan Upton, Jennifer Landis, Jimmy Gilbert, Cynde Whitmire, Michael Calvert, and Kristie Wyke; 23 great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Brown was predeceased by two stepdaughters, Katherine K. Runion and Edith Koone; her precious grandson, Don Upton; seven brothers; and two sisters.

A celebration of Mrs. Brown's life will be held at noon Saturday in the Chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road with the Reverends Bill Vestal, Jack W. Hester, E. C. Vestal, and Smith Kestner officiating. Burial will follow in Robinson Memorial Gardens, 1425 Powdersville Road, Easley. Active pallbearers will be her grandsons.

The family will receive friends from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home prior to the service.

Flowers will be appreciated or memorials may be made to her favorite charity, Meals on Wheels, 15 Oregon Street, Greenville, SC 29605.

Family members are at their respective homes.

The family would like to thank the staff of NHC in Greenville for their special care.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road, which is assisting the family.