Republic – Esther I. Keskitalo, age 79, former Republic resident passed away at 5:55am on Tuesday October 2, 2007 at the Mather Nursing Center in Ishpeming Twp. where she had resided since this past March.


Esther was born May 17, 1928 in Iron River the daughter of the late Axel and Elma (Oja) Kaleva. She was a graduate of the Republic High School, Class of 1946, and was a lifelong area resident. She had worked as an office clerk in her early years at the office of Dr. Keski, and later did bookwork for her husband's Trout Fall's Dairy Farm business. Esther was a member of the First Baptist Church of Witch Lake.


Survivors include 2 daughters – Lorna (Donald) Leaf of Negaunee and Susan (Michael) Vanderband of Jenison; 2 sons – Derek (Ingrid) Keskitalo of Alsip, IL and Greg Keskitalo of Marquette; a sister – Gladys Kane of Tallahassee, FL; a brother Glenn (Carol) Johnson of Coventry, RI; 5 grandchildren – Samuel and Aubrey Leaf, Jill (Scott) Carney, Erin (Dave) DeWitt, and Robert Vanderband; a great grandson Austin Carney; along with several cousins, nieces and nephews.


She was preceded in death by her husband Erland on March 17, 2006, her parents, her step-father Bernard Johnson and a step-sister Ruth Ulip.


A memorial service will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday October 6, 2007 at the First Baptist Church of Witch Lake with Pastor Jim Janofski to officiate. Inurnment will take place at the Republic Cemetery.


The family will greet friends and relatives from 12:00noon until the time of services on Saturday at the First Baptist Church of Witch Lake.


Memorials may be directed to the First Baptist Church of Witch Lake building fund, WHWL Radio, or the Marquette Co. Humane Society in Esther's memory.