Obituary of Wilna Clarice Brandenburg Kesler

Wilna Clarice Brandenburg Kesler (100) passed away at home, surrounded by loving family and caregiviers in State College, PA on February 27, 2023. Wilna was born in Clarksburg, WV on August 20, 1922, the daughter of Wilson and Merna Hill Brandenburg. She lived in several towns in West Virginia with her family but finished high school in Morgantown. Wilna attended a business college in Morgantown and then was employed as a secretary in the Forestry Department at West Virginia University during the war years. She was an accomplished cellist and was active in orchestra and chamber groups in Morgantown. In 1945 she married Earl M. Kesler and moved to State College, PA. Wilna worked as a secretary in the Dairy Science Department at Penn State while Earl completed graduate studies and went on to become tenured faculty. They made State College their home and remained there through their 71 years of marriage. After the birth of their first child, Wilna left the work force to raise her children and manage their family.

Wilna was active in St. Paul's United Methodist church and was a long time member of the Women's Friendship Class. Throughout the years she served numerous capacities at St Paul's from running the church nursery to serving on Staff Parrish and Trustees to coordinating bereavement meals to volunteering in the church office. She worked in the Panorama Village School library when the school was newly opened in 1959 and taught sewing classes for the local 4-H club in the early 1960's. Wilna was active is several service groups in State College, most notably, Centre Home Care where her volunteer efforts were instrumental in the development and success of this organization. Wilna was a very caring person who provided extensive personal care both for her maternal grandmother and mother as well as her mother and fathers in-law during numerous health crises. She was renowned as a decorator of cakes for weddings and other special occasions. She was a master seamstress who sewed clothing for herself ,her daughters and her grandchildren for many years. Her last volunteer service was working as a docent for the Boalsburg Heritage Museum. Wilna was an excellent cook and kept her family's kitchen full of home canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. The reputation of her apple pie, apple butter, grape jelly and bread and butter pickles spread well beyond her family.

Wilna is preceded in death by her parents, a brother Charles Brandenburg, and her husband Earl. She is survived by her children: Charlotte Fuquay (John), Starkville, MS; Margaret Eberling (Mike), Pittsboro, NC; and Alan Kesler (Carol), Sarasota, FL. Also, she leaves five grandchildren: Michael Fuquay (Patricia), New York, NY; David Fuquay (Anne), Ocala, FL; Nicholas Eberling (Amy), Anacortes,WA; Kevin Eberling (Agnieszka), Wilmington, DE; and Kelly Kesler (Rob), New York, NY; four great grand children: Emily Fuquay, Wade Fuquay, Michael Ashton and Isla Eberling; and three nieces: Valerie Brandenburg, Roseana Mashley and Patricia McCrady.

Visitation will be held at Koch Funeral Home from 1:00 until 3:00 PM on Friday, March 3, 2023.

Funeral service will be held at St Paul's United Methodist Church beginning at noon on Saturday, March 4, 2023 with burial at the Boalsburg Cemetery immediately following the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 250 E College Ave, State College, PA 16801 or to the Boalsburg Heritage Museum, 304 E Main St, Boalsburg, PA 16827.

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