Randall B. Kester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Randall B. Kester
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Kester in 2006
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| 69th Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court | |
| In office 1957–1958 |
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| Appointed by | Elmo Smith |
| Preceded by | Walter L. Tooze |
| Succeeded by | Gordon Sloan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 20, 1916 Ontario, Oregon, US |
| Died | May 31, 2012 (aged 95) Portland, Oregon, US |
| Spouses | Rachael W. Kester (?-2012; his death) |
| Residences | Portland, Oregon, US |
| Alma mater | Willamette University, Columbia Law School |
Randall Blair Kester (born October 20, 1916 – died May 31, 2012) was an American lawyer and judge from Oregon. He was a justice, or judge, on the highest court in Oregon, the Oregon Supreme Court. He served on this important court from 1957 to 1958. Later in his life, he taught law at what is now called the Lewis & Clark Law School. He also worked as a private lawyer in Portland, Oregon, for many years after being a judge.
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Early Life and Education
Randall Kester was born on October 20, 1916, in Vale, Oregon. He grew up in a town called Ontario, Oregon. When he was a kid, he worked at the local library in Ontario. He earned 50 cents a week by carrying books to and from the post office. These books came from the Oregon State Library. During his high school years, he also worked for the local newspaper, the Ontario Argus.
College Days and the State Library
Later, Kester went to Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. While studying there, he worked for the state library again. The library was located in the basement of the Oregon Supreme Court Building. In 1935, the Oregon State Capitol building caught fire. Many books in the state library were damaged by water. They were stored in the basement of the Supreme Court Building, which was connected to the Capitol. Kester's job was to try and dry out as many books as he could to save them.
In 1937, Kester was the president of his senior class at Willamette. He helped start the building of a new library for the university. After finishing college in 1937, Kester went to law school. He studied at Columbia Law School in New York City and graduated in 1940.
Legal Career and Public Service
After finishing law school, Randall Kester moved to Portland, Oregon. He joined a law firm called Maguire, Shields and Morrison. Their main client was a big train company, the Union Pacific Railroad. During World War II, Kester volunteered with the Mount Hood Ski Patrol. He helped keep this group active during the war. Many of the regular patrollers were away fighting at that time.
Kester was also the president of the Multnomah Bar Association. This is a group for lawyers in Multnomah County, Oregon. He led the group from 1956 to early 1957.
Serving on the Oregon Supreme Court
On January 3, 1957, the Governor of Oregon, Elmo Smith, chose Randall Kester to be a judge on the Oregon Supreme Court. He took the place of Judge Walter L. Tooze, who had passed away. Kester served on the court until March 1, 1958. He decided to leave the court to become the main lawyer for Union Pacific Railroad in the Pacific Northwest region.
Work with Union Pacific and Retirement
While working for Union Pacific, Kester was involved in important legal cases. In 1972, he helped with a case called Port of Portland v. United States. This case was about trade between different states. In 1980, Kester retired from Union Pacific. He then went back to work at his old law firm. From 1986 to 1987, he was the president of the City Club of Portland. This is a group that discusses important community issues.
Later Years and Legacy
In January 2006, Randall Kester was 89 years old. At that time, he was thought to be the oldest lawyer still working in Oregon. He was a senior partner at a law firm called Cosgrave Vergeer Kester in Portland. Randall Kester passed away on May 31, 2012. He was 95 years old and died from natural causes at his home in Portland, Oregon.
