Clifford D. Chester

Clifford Dean Chester, born July 31st, 1956, passed away July 25th, 2023, just days shy of his 67th birthday. He is survived by his loving wife, Lisa Stotler-Chester, who cared for him in the home until he departed. He also left behind his 3 loyal dogs, Lucy, Tee, and Luna. He is survived by 3 brothers, Walter Chester (Kathy) Paola, KS, Billy Chester (Rexann) Lane, KS, and youngest brother, Bobby of Paola, KS. He leaves step-son, Sean Stotler (Kacie), and 4-month-old granddaughter, Dawsen Rae Stotler of Pittsburg, KS. He also leaves his Mother-in-law, Shirley Stotler, Pittsburg, KS, brothers-in-law, Mike Stotler (Connie) Henderson, NV, Brian Stotler (Jeanie) Owasso, OK, and sisters-in-law, Shelley Stotler of Bloomfield, NM and Lori Stotler of Pittsburg, KS. He treasured his Chester nieces and nephews, including Kevin & Kelly, Jill & Casey, Gage, Tucker, Ben, Mia, Crystal & Jon, Bethany & Jansen, Natalia & Angie, and his Stotler nieces and nephews, Eric, Lindsay, Brayden, Ayvah, and Zoey. He will be missed by his Aunt Marlene Evans (Ray), Uncle Orville Spilker (Charlene), and Uncle Harold Spilker on his Mom's side, as well as his Aunt Nancy Head on his dad's side. He also leaves behind his great friends, Leonard and Margaret Maisch, Ray Villareal, Bob Kohlenberg, Greg Whiting, Greg Stanley and many other friends he made while working 45 years on the Union Pacific Railroad. Everyone at work called him Red because of his red hair. As he aged, Whitey would have been a more appropriate nickname like his Grandpa was called. Upon his passing, Clifford would have been embraced by those who preceded him in death, his parents, Alberta Marie (Spilker) Chester and Howard Lee Chester of Paola, KS, his brothers, Danny Chester of Osawatomie, KS and Jimmy Chester of Paola, KS. There would have been many aunts, uncles, & grandparents to greet him, too. Marisa Stotler, Hazel Malle, and Frankie Stotler would have been reunited with him and he would have also met Lisa's Dad, Parker Lee Stotler, and her daughter, Truely. Cliff loved his dogs, so Poco, Otto, Brody, Annie, and Freddie would have come trotting alongside everyone else to welcome him home. Surely, he was surrounded in love from all of them as well as embraced by God's love and the presence of Jesus Christ because Clifford was a good man who did his best in life. Born and raised in Paola, Ks, Cliff graduated Paola High School in 1974. Everyone who knew him knows how he loved telling stories of the fun he had growing up in Paola back in the 60s and 70s. Clifford, nicknamed Gigee by Danny as a child, lived on the same 3 block area near Wallace Park most of his life and it was a wonderful life except when his daddy made him pull a switch off a tree! He’d tell of football games with all the neighborhood kids, snowball fights, tomato wars, and digging out snow forts under the huge piles of snow dumped in the park by the city. Clifford loved to fish. He learned to hunt when his daddy and Uncle Bob would take him and his 5 brothers hunting for squirrels and rabbits in the park and on the country roads around Paola. He was a natural at fixing things. He discovered his love of motorcycles in his early teens; becoming a gear head and fixing every bike and car he ever owned. With his lifelong friend Leonard, he raced motorcycles and cars on short tracks, (quarter-mile) reaching extreme speeds. Clifford and Leonard also took long bike trips around the country, exploring the sights together and just enjoying the ride. Cliff loved restoring old cars, especially when he worked on them with his dad, Howard. They restored some beauties. He knew what every old car's make and model were, as well as what year they were built, with only a glance as they drove by. Cliff worked hard as a Union Pacific Railroad trackman and tie gang mechanic, retiring in June of 2021. Never a quitter, Cliff fought hard for over a year and a half to survive the 4th stage metastatic pancreatic cancer that took his life. He wasn't a perfect man but he was a good man who always tried to do what was right. He was often bull headed, but he was also kind and loving. His family was important to him and he spoiled the people and animals whom he loved. His family was lucky to have known him. Cliff will be missed. He will live on in memory and he will always be loved.

Clifford D. Chester

July 31, 1956 - July 25, 2023