Edward A. “Ed” Jester

Edward A. “Ed” Jester, age 98, of New Castle, DE, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 27, 2021.

Born in Wilmington, DE, on December 2, 1922, he was a son of the late Joseph and Josephine (Budziszewski) Kempista. Ed was a kind and compassionate soul whose life experience spanned nearly a century. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

Ed was a veteran of World War II, serving with the 101^st Airborne Screaming Eagles. He took part in several major battles, including the Battle of the Bulge. After bravely serving his country, Ed worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad for more than 43 years. During his career, he was assigned to a “wreck train” that was dispatched to railcar accidents up and down the East Coast.

In his later years, Ed was a regular patron at the Rose Hill Senior Center in New Castle where he touched many lives with his lively stories, jokes, and acts of kindness. In his 80s, Ed took it upon himself to visit the local bakery warehouses and collect bread products for distribution to friends and neighbors, including the senior center. He would fill his car and trunk with the baked goods and distribute them to whoever needed them. His favorite find was raisin bread, a Senior Center special request!

In his personal time, Ed was an avid fisherman and enjoyed teaching his nephews to fish. His favorite saying was, “The bad thing about catching all these fish is now we have to clean them!” At family events, Ed would always bring puzzles, card tricks, or math riddles to challenge his nieces and nephews, and one of his favorite pastimes was playing pinochle. Christmas was his favorite time of the year, and always meant boxes and boxes of chocolate-covered cherries for his friends and family.

In addition to his parents, Edward was preceded in death by his loving wife of 45 years, Dorothy (Buckley) Jester; brothers, Frank Kempista, Henry Kempista, and John Kempista; sisters, Genevieve Jester, Sophia Logan, and Alice Schultz. He is survived by several nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to offer a special thanks to the staff at the Rose Hill Senior Center, especially Director Janice and Sandy, for their years of friendship and care.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 9:30 am until 10:30 am on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 North DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE, where a funeral service will begin at 10:30 am. Face coverings will be required for all those in attendance not immunized with the COVID-19 vaccine per the Governor of Delaware. Interment will follow in Gracelawn Memorial Park, 2220 North DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Edward’s memory to Season’s Hospice at Wilmington Hospital, for their nurses’ compassionate care during Ed’s final days, 501 West 14^th Street, 3 North, Wilmington, DE 19801, or online by clicking here.