Elma W. Nester, 88, of Severna Park, died of a stroke Sept. 27 at Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie after a brief illness.

Born Sept. 24, 1917, in Swede-land, a suburb of Bridgeport, Pa., Mrs. Nester was the daughter of the late John R. and Emma K. Wood. She attended Upper Merion, Pa., schools and graduated in 1935.

In 1938 she married Thomas A. Nester in Trinity Lutheran Church in Norristown, Pa.

She was a member and past president of Ki-Wives International and belonged to Pasadena United Methodist Church and the Cape Arthur Improvement Association and Garden Club. She loved traveling throughout the United States and neighboring countries.

In addition to her husband, surviving are three sons, Thomas A. Nester Jr. of Richboro, Pa., Earl John Nester of Elkridge and Gerald Lloyd Nester of Severna Park; one daughter, Barbara Nester Righter of Pensacola, Fla.; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 374 Ritchie Highway, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Gulph United Church of Christ, 100 Matson Ford Road, Gulph Mills, Pa., where services will follow. Burial will be in Valley Forge, Pa., Memorial Gardens. Online condolences may be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Severna Park Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 72, Severna Park, MD 21146

As published in The Capital Newspaper on 9/29/2005