Harriette Kersten

Harriette Frances (nee Brooke) Kersten, 92, died September 4, 2013 at Good Samaritan Hospital of congestive heart failure. She was born March 22, 1921 in St. Francisville, IL to Liam Brooke and Emma (Stillwell) Brooke, who preceded her in death along with her husbands, Hughes Weaver, Isaac Blaine Daugherty, Jr., and a son, Claude Daugherty, siblings Donald, Sadie, Josephine, Claudia, and two siblings who died in infancy before her birth. Raised on a farm outside St. Francisville, Ill., where she was born, later living in St. Francisville, Il., Lawrenceville, Il., and recently Vincennes, In., with her husband Ronald Kersten, who survives. Also survived by son Michael Blaine Daugherty and wife Mary Schmid Daugherty, of St. Paul, Mn., and grandchildren Emma Gergen (husband Nick), Anna Daugherty, Maura Daugherty, and Isaac Blaine Daugherty III., stepson Ronald Kersten and wife Carma Kersten, granddaughter Kara, and two great grandchildren. Also survived by nieces Martha Dollahan and Francis Brinkley, cousin Joanne Diver, and close family friend Dr. Robert Bailey.Harriette was a pet lover, beginning with her family farm horse, Daisy, whom she rode to school, and to many sojourns in the woods behind her family home, ending with her beloved cat, Ginger, whom she overfed regularly. Memorials in lieu of flowers preferred to the Vincennes Humane Society and Pet Shelter.Flowers, however, were a huge part of Harriette's life; she tended over 175 Hybrid tea rose bushes at one time at her home on Porter Avenue, huge stands of Iris at her home on Forbes Drive, and later in life was a frequent customer of Joanne Fabric's, making silk flower arrangements for the Colonial Assisted Living Facility in Vincennes, where she lived the last few years of her life.Harriette was also a card player. She regularly played social bridge with friends, but loved beating her grandchildren at Hearts - often sending them the Queen of Spades in the mail just to remind them they had a long way to go to outsmart Grandma.Harriette also hand sewed dozens and dozens of quilts rivaling anything the best blue ribbon winners at any state fair; many of her quilts and crafts including innumerable painted birdhouses adorn the Daugherty family cabin as a constant reminder of Harriette's love of crafts, the woods, and being outdoors. Rest in Peace. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday September 6, 2013 at St. John's Catholic Church with Rev. David Fleck officiating. Friends may visit the family from 1-2 p.m. at the church. Burial will follow in the Lawrenceville City Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at www.goodwinfamilyfh.com