Born Feb. 19, 1932 Hester Louise Moles, daughter of Kelley and Carrie Rhoades, was born Feb. 19, 1932, and entered her eternal reward May 29, 2007. She was converted at the age of 9 and was baptized on Dec. 7, 1941, the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
From her conversion to the day she went to be with her Lord, Hester never wavered in her faith. In her adolescence years, she was always looked to as a Christian leader in her church and community.
On Nov. 23, 1952, Hester and John D. Moles were united in holy matrimony. To this union two children were born: Victor Moles, of Mansfield, and Mrs. Trudy Underwood with her husband, Kelley, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Through her daughter, Hester has two grandchildren, Jessica Underwood Peters with her husband Andy, and Robert Underwood.
Hester and her husband entered the ministry in July of 1955.
She and John served the Oak Forest Community Church for two years before accepting a call to pastor the Highway Church of the Nazarene in Ava, in 1957. They served at the Highway church for 35 years. After retirement in 1992, they served as interim pastor at the Marshfield Church of the Nazarene for nearly five years. Hester was an outstanding pastor’s wife. At the Highway Church she was known as “The Queen of the Parsonage.” Hester supported her pastor husband 100 percent and was his chief encourager.
Hester’s gifted role in ministry included singing, teaching, praying and entertaining with those delicious home cooked meals. She taught the “Home Builders” Sunday School class for over 25 years.
As John has said: “God gave me a wonderful wife. He put us together on a fabulous journey that leads to a building of God, made with hands eternal in the heavens. Our loss is Heaven’s gain.”
Hester, one of 15 children, was preceded in death by her mother, father and 10 brothers and sisters.
She is survived by three brothers, Rev. Dean Rhoades, of Lebanon, Clyde Rhoades, of Houston, and Jess Rhoades, of Mansfield; and one sister, Loretta Kelly, of Norwood; as well as a host of nephews and nieces.
Services for Hester will be at 2 p.m. Friday, June 1, in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, with the Revs. Shane Chellis and Jim Dillow officiating. Interment will follow in the Oak Forest Cemetery. Visitation will be today (Thursday) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Gideons International; or to the Alabaster Fund or Compassionate Ministries c/o Mansfield Church of the Nazarene. Online condolences may be made to www. clinkingbeardfuneralhome.com.
