Betty Marie Spiers Koestler

Funeral services for Betty Marie Spiers Koestler, 83, of Greenville will be at 3:00 p.m., Monday, December 23, 2019 at First United Methodist Church. She passed away on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at her home.  Burial will be in the Greenville Cemetery under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Greenville.
 
Mrs. Koestler was born in Memphis, TN to Tommy and Evelyn Spiers.  The family moved to Osceola, AR in January of 1942 and she attended public schools in Osceola.  She graduated May 1953 from Osceola High School with honors.
 
Mrs. Koestler attended Ole Miss and was a member of Delta Delta Delta. She was named to a freshman organization of Cwens which recognizes outstanding students and was a featured beauty in the Ole Miss yearbook. She was elected by the student body as Homecoming Queen 1954.
 
She married Robert Koestler and made Greenville her home until her death.  She was active in her children’s activities by serving as Cub Scout leader as well as actively supporting parent-teacher organizations in all schools.
 
Mrs. Koestler was one of the first women to become a private aircraft pilot in the delta region.  She owned and operated Koestler Travel and enjoyed world travel throughout her life.  She was an early member of Delta Artists and attended numerous workshops to improve her skills as an oil painter.  Her love of dogs was captured by her personal pet oil paintings and she enjoyed donating oil paintings to fund raising events that benefited animal shelters.
 
She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Greenville.
 
She is survived by her husband Robert Leo Koestler; son, Robert Alan Koestler (Janna) of Greenville; daughter, Kay Koestler Robbins (Bob) of Bellville, TX; four grandchildren, Elizabeth Gwin Koestler and fiance, Gerad Snowden Buffington of Biloxi, Leesa Marie Koestler Harris (Jackson) of Atlanta, Robert Alan Koestler, Jr. (Carlile) of Greenville and Laurie Marie Robbins of Bellville, TX; and great-grandchild, Mary Elliott Harris of Atlanta.
 
There will be a visitation from 2:00-3:00 p.m., Monday at the church.  Memorials may be given to Delta Delta Delta Sorority Graduate Student scholarship endowments at University of Mississippi Foundation, 406 University Avenue, Oxford, MS  38655.  She established the scholarship in 2007 which enabled a senior of Chi Chapter, Delta Delta Delta who would attend graduate school at Ole Miss.