Lauren Catherine Lane-Hester

Lauren Catherine Lane-Hester, of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, passed away peacefully on November 23, 2024, after two years of illness. She was 80 years old. 

Lauren was born on June 20, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois, to Harry Kish and Leona Welinske Kish, who preceded her in death. She was also predeceased by her sister, Sharon Jenkins. Lauren grew up on dairy farms in Almena, Wisconsin, Flagstaff, Arizona, and Sierra Vista, Arizona, where she developed her sense of adventure and resilience. 

Lauren proudly served as a photographer in the U.S. Navy from 1963 to 1965. She later pursued higher education, earning an AA degree from Grossmont College and studying art history at the University of San Diego, where she was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society. Her professional career spanned two decades as a casino card dealer and shift boss in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she met her loving husband, John L Hester. 

Lauren was a woman of many talents and passions. She loved to cook and travel, and she adored her bulldogs. An avid world traveler, Lauren lived a life of adventure, climbing the pyramids of Egypt, walking the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, visiting Mayan ruins in Mexico, climbing the pyramid at Chichen Itza, and spending time in Italy. She was a seasoned cruiser, having embarked on 11 cruises to various destinations worldwide. 

Lauren was a faithful member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Diamondhead, Mississippi, and found great comfort in her faith. 

She is survived by her husband, John L Hester; son, Edward Lane; two stepdaughters, Heidi Aaron (Terry); Holly Lemoine-Raymond (Leo); and three grandchildren, Landry Lemoine, Ashley Walters, and Kennedy Anderson (Hunter). 

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Dunbar Village and Notre Dame Hospice for their compassionate care during Lauren’s final days. 

Services will be held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Diamondhead, MS on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Visitation 10:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. with Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place in the Biloxi National Cemetery following a private graveside service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Friends of the Animal Shelter in Hancock County, www.friendsoftheanimalshelter.org

Lauren will be deeply missed but forever remembered for her adventurous spirit, generous heart, and the love she shared with all who knew her. 

Edmond Fahey Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Lauren C. Lane-Hester.