Irene H. Kesner

Irene H. Kesner of Port Washington had a passion for travel, and she developed many lasting friendships through her journeys.

Accompanied by her husband and some of their children, Mrs. Kesner crossed the country, from the West Coast to the East Coast, with stops in parts of Canada.

She made several trips to Luxembourg, where many of her cousins and their extended families live, as well as England, France, Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Romania, Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.

She also traveled to Slovenia, first with her husband and later on her own, and was warmly welcomed there by her husband’s extended families even though she didn’t understand the Slovenian language.

“She just loved to meet new people and visit places she had never been before,” her daughter Rita Hasslinger said.

Mrs. Kesner died of leukemia Wednesday, March 21, at the Lincoln Village Apartments in Port Washington. She was 93.

Mrs. Kesner was born to Charles and Marie Reding Lesch on March 6, 1925, in Holy Cross.  

She attended school in Port Washington and later worked at the Port Washington Chair Factory, where she met Ralph Kesner.

The couple married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Port Washington on July 6, 1946.

They couple lived on Lakeview Avenue in Port for many years.

Mrs. Kesner is survived by her children, Mary (Dave) Fox of West Bend, Ralph of Cedar Grove, Rita (Ken) Hasslinger of Menomonee Falls, Ken (Janice) of Townsend, Betty Kesner of Manitowoc, Irene (Mike) Kocourek of Manitowoc, Jim (Cathy) of Sheboygan, Phil (Peggy) of Sheboygan Falls, Ron (Renee) of Port Washington and Regis of Sheboygan; 25 grandchildren; and 39 great-grandchildren.  

She is further survived by her sister Eleanore Eck of Des Plaines, Ill., and sister-in-law Carol Lesch of Berlin, Wis.

Mrs. Kesner was preceded in death by her husband Ralph; parents Charles and Marie Lesch; brothers Nicholas, Irvin and Marcel Lesch; brother-in-law Emil Eck; and great-grandchildren Hailee Kesner and Caleb Smith.

A Mass of Christian burial for Mrs. Kesner will be held at noon Saturday, April 7, at St. John XXIII Catholic Parish, St. Mary’s Church in Port Washington. Father Patrick Wendt will officiate.

Visitation will be at the church April 7 from 10 a.m. until the service.

Interment will be in the parish cemetery.  

Memorials to the Ronald McDonald House, 8948 W. Watertown Plank Rd., Wauwatosa 53226, are suggested.

Funeral arrangements are being handled through Poole Funeral Home, Port Washington.