Kenneth W. "Ken" Tester

Birth date: Mar 22, 1935 Death date: Jun 11, 2021

Kenneth W. "Ken" Tester, 86, of Bristol, TN passed away Friday, June 11, 2021 at Bristol Regional Medical Center. He was born in Bristol, VA on March 22, 1935, a son of the late John Murphy Tester and Mamie Elizabeth Rosenbaum Tester. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, John M. Tester, Jr. and Stanley E. Tester; three sisters, Marie T. Harmon, Ruby T. Harless, and Emma T. Daughtery.Ken was a proud veteran of the United States Navy and served his country in the Korean War. He later also served in the Army Reserves for a few years. He was a devoted active member of Fellowship Chapel Church where he delivered Meals on Wheels. He worked as a salesman for Huff-Cook Insurance Company for several years and later for AFLAC for 25 years and was a funeral assistant for Blevins Funeral and Cremation Services and Oakley-Cook Funeral Home since 1971 until his retirement. He was a member of King Masonic Lodge and Jericho Shrine Temple. He was a member of the T.P.A. and was a former president of Post Q. He was a member of the Gideons International. Kenneth enjoyed playing golf and spending time with his family especially grandson and great granddaughter. He was a beloved father, husband, grandfather, and great-grandfather; he will be greatly missed.Ken is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Martha Trivett Tester; two sons, Joel W. Tester and his wife, Teresa, of Harvest, AL and Kevin J. Tester of Blountville, TN; grandson, Joshua W. Tester and his wife, Brittany; great granddaughter, Olive Lou Tester; three sisters, Clara Mae Cox, Peggy Smithson, and Betty Clark and her husband, Teddy; sister-in-law, Nancy S. Tester; brother-in-law, Gary Daughtery; and several nieces and nephews.The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM until 7:45 PM Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at Fellowship Chapel, Bristol, VA. The funeral service will follow at 8:00 PM Tuesday at Fellowship Chapel with Pastor Scott Price officiating. The committal service and interment will be conducted at 11:00 AM Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at Mountain View Cemetery, Bristol, VA with the U.S. Navy Funeral Honor Guard and V.F.W. Honor Guard conducting military graveside rites. Pallbearers will be Jerry Feathers, Odell Owens, Alex Todd, Mark Smithson, John Scott Tester, and Joshua Tester. Honorary Pallbearers will be Sid Oakley, Richard Tetrick, Jim Carty, Howard Brown, Bill Simons, Ron Carter, Bob Barksdale, and Eugene Blevins. Those who wish to attend the committal service are asked to meet at the cemetery by 10:45 AM Wednesday. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to Meals on Wheels, c/o Fellowship Chapel, 201 Crockett St., Bristol, VA 24201 or the V.F.W. Patton Crosswhite Post 6975, 315 Gate City Hwy., Bristol, VA 24201.Read Obituary

Tribute Wall Obituary Events Media

Blevins Funeral & Cremation Services

149w ago

Created a Tribute Video in memory of Kenneth W. "Ken" Tester.

Judy Hall

So sorry for your loss! You are always in our prayers!!!
Sincerely,
Judy Belle Hall &
Brenda Thomas

Becky Williams

149w ago

in honor of Kenneth W..

Dear Martha and family, I was so sad to hear of Ken’s passing. We met thru HMG and he was always the kindest person to me and my coworkers. I’ll never forget when Phil and I walked in the doors of Fellowship Chapel for the first time. Ken was the first person we saw and he was so happy we were there! He showed us all around and made us feel right at home. We’re still there. Christ surely shined thru Ken. Well miss you. God bless you and the family. Much love, Becky Williams

A lit candle with a soft flame, surrounded by small white flowers and green leaves, set against a warm yellow background.

Don Norman

149w ago

Dear Martha,

Sorry to hear of Ken's passing. You both have been good friends through the years.
I pray that God will comfort you and give you peace.

Don Norman

Mildred Groseclose

149w ago

in honor of Kenneth W..

My Buddy from Tennessee Avenue-- Martha & Family -- My Thoughts and Prayers Are With All of You.

A lighted pale blue candle with a small white flower and a few leaves at its base, set against a soft blue background.

Blevins Funeral & Cremation Services

149w ago

Lois (Roark) Still

150w ago

Martha, Joel, Kevin, Betty, Peggy, Clara Mae and Family,

Boy, this is a SHOCKER!!! Yes, it is a SHOCKER; however, I know
Kenneth was ready to met our Savior whenever our Lord was ready
to call him home to Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah Land.

I don't think I have EVER seen Kenneth without a big smile on his
face. I believe that is a natural trait in the Tester family because I
don't remember EVER been around any of them without them
expressing a BIG SMILE on their face and we go way back into
the 1950's. Let us speak of "BIG" again. I thought our family
of six children was "BIG" BUT a family of 9 children was HUGE!!!
That and plus was the size families our grandparents would
have.

Martha, I want you to know, you certainly have taken good
care of Kenneth and he you. Look at this handsome picture
of him and this is about how he looked about a year and half
ago when I last saw him (the time frame because of Corvid 19).
He has always looked younger than his age. His age is
unbelievable! Staying active in all those years of work and
continuing working after retirement sure didn't harm him any!

I didn't come to know Kenneth, you, Joel and Kevin until in
around ?1972 or '73 when we built in Valley Hills Subd. and
you'll already lived there and come to know what a beautiful
and sweet family and those boys were "little dolls" as well
as their mother and father. I remember being very surprised
in learning that Kenneth was Betty's, Emma's and Peggy's
brother because as I mentioned earlier, I have known them
since the middle of 1950 and loved them as well as all the
Hess family. We came to be friends in the early stages of
our life and we always remained friends. The rest of the
Tester children had I suppose already gotten married &
moved out from the family home except for Peggy, Betty,
and Emma.

I guess Betty was glad when I started working at H. P. Kings
in the lingerie dept.after school by taking DE class because
it got her out of being responsible for keeping the stockroom
shelves and stock boxes free of dusk and b-o-y- did some of
those old stock have the dusk on them and before you finished
dusting them all, the dusk found it way to attach to the one
dusting. Betty trained me in that chore but boy did she get
out of that job fast & I can't say I blamed her. Do you recall
that Betty? We both hated that part of the job but the rest
we loved.l

May God grant you each with peace and comfort as only He
can as you are traveling this path of loss here on earth but
knowing that Kenneth is with his and our creator and knowing
that you will be joined together again for eternal life as he
has now...is how you get thru this.

May God continue to bless you each and always,

Lois "Delores" Roark Still

Robert Leonard

Martha and family, We are saddened to hear of Kenneth’s passing. He was a fine man and always had a smile for everyone. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. Bob and Sharon Leonard

Glenna Jackman

150w ago

I was so very sorry to learn of Kenneth's passing. My thoughts, prayers and love are with the whole family. I'm sorry I can't attend the funeral but know that I will be there in my thoughts.

I miss and love you all.

Eugene Linda Blevins

150w ago

Kenneth was a very good friend and co-worker. I sure will miss his friendship. Martha, Joel, Kevin and Josh and family , I send My condolence. Praying for the family.

Lois (Roark) Still

150w ago

Martha, Joel, Kevin, Betty, Peggy, Clara Mae and Family,

Boy, this is a SHOCKER!!! Yes, it is a SHOCKER; however, I know
Kenneth was ready to met our Savior whenever our Lord was ready
to call him home to Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah Land.

May God continue to bless you each and always,

Lois "Delores" Roark Still