Ernestine Jerard Keltner died on November 14, 2008 in Kennewick, WA. She was born in Pleasant Hill, Missouri on April 25, 1910, and was the only child of Elizabeth Bailey and Hubert Jerard. Ernestine graduated from Pleasant Hill High School and attended William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri for 2 years. She was married in September 1929 to James W. Keltner and from that union one daughter was born. After living in St. Louis and Chicago, she returned to Pleasant Hill and lived there from 1935 until 1969. Ernestine managed the local grain elevator and flour-mill in Pleasant Hill for Moundridge Milling Company until 1942 when she went to work at the Remington Arms Defense plant at Lake City, MO. After the war she was employed by Davis, Nolan, Merrill Grain Co. in Kansas City and then by Continental Grain Co., where she worked for 26 years before retiring in 1975.

Ernestine thoroughly enjoyed her retirement traveling especially the different places to eat, church work and playing bridge and other card games. In 1998 she decided she needed to be closer to her family and moved to Kennewick. She continued with her enjoyment of life locally and traveling to visit grandchildren around WA. Her cheerful disposition and pleasure of being around people made her life here very comfortable until suffering a stroke in 2002. Thanks to special care at Canyon Lakes Rest. & Rehab, she has still been able to participate in many activities. She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Jane and Gerald Posankony; her grandchildren: Andrea and husband Kevin Scott, Teresa Posakony and husband Steven Donaldson, Julia and husband Mark Cox, and Jeffrey Posakony as well as 7 great-grandchildren, all of whom live in the Pacific Northwest.

A private memorial service will be held at Einan's Funeral Home in Richland, WA with burial in the Pleasant Hill cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the charity of your choice.