Karlota Marie Koester

Karlota “Kari” Marie Koester, age 81, died June 27, 2019 in her home in Luray, Virginia. Kari was born in Washington, DC on February 11, 1938 to the late Karl and Emma Koester.  She attended schools in Washington, DC, and graduated from the George Washington University in February 1960 with a major in speech and drama.  

Kari worked for over 30 years for the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, from which she retired in 1998; she was the technical publications editor at the time of her retirement.  She had lived in Arlington, Virginia, for 27 years before moving to Luray, Virginia in 1997.  

Kari was baptized at Christ Lutheran Church, Washington, DC, and then held memberships at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Arlington, Virginia; St. Mark Lutheran Church, Luray, Virginia, and Emanuel Lutheran Church, Woodstock, Virginia.  Kari, in her retirement, served as part-time office assistant at Emanuel Lutheran and as a volunteer at the Shenandoah Memorial Hospital.  Kari’s church memberships and activities and her serving as worship assistant gave her much happiness.  She also enjoyed duckpin bowling, square dancing, and her membership in the Delta Zeta Sorority alumnae chapter of the Shenandoah/Central Virginia area.   She held life memberships in the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, the National Park Service Employees and Alumni Association, and the Shenandoah Natural History Association.  She loved turtles and collecting memorabilia of turtles.  

Kari is survived by cousins, church family members, and friends.  

A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 12, 2019 at 11:00 A.M. at Emanuel Lutheran Church, 127 East High Street, Woodstock, Virginia, 22664.  A luncheon will follow.  Inurnment at Christ Lutheran Church, Washington, DC, will follow at a later date.  Memorial gifts can be made to:  Christ Lutheran Church, 5101 16th Street NW, Washington, DC  20011, Resurrection Lutheran Church, 6201 N. Washington Blvd., Arlington, Virginia 22205 or Emanuel Lutheran Church at the address above.  

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