Ethel "Ann" Hoke Kerestine joined her husband, her parents and her siblings in a painless and peaceful world on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, just a few days shy of her 88 ^th birthday.

Ethel Ann Hoke was born in west Texas to a farming family, the eighth of nine children. (Josephine, Ona, Doris, Roy, Patricia, Clydene, Effie, Ann and Luke).  Ann's parents were Luther Hoke and Ethel Tindle Hoke.  She and her family grew or raised what they ate.  Ann's mother baked bread every day, and Ann said that she was in middle school when she had her first piece of pre-sliced bread.  They lived with few luxuries.  They worked hard, and though her petite frame never grew beyond 5 feet 2 inches tall, she pulled her weight in cotton that she picked in the field with her father and siblings.

Ann's father attended Texas Teacher's College (UNT) and graduated in 1914.  He later moved the family to Denton "to provide an opportunity for education for his children." The Hoke family continued to farm in northern Denton County.  Ann attended junior high and high school at North Texas Laboratory School (Demo School) and North Texas State University. In 2015, the University of North Texas honored the Hoke family with the Generations of Excellence Award recognizing the 101 years over which Hoke family members had attended the University.  One of Ann's great-grandchildren just enrolled at UNT this year continuing the Hoke tradition.

Ann met the love of her life, Andy (Andrew John Kerestine III), at Demo school. They were married in 1955 and were married for 60 years before Andy passed in 2015.  Ann and Andy raised 4 children born barely a year apart who all graduated from Denton High School.  Ann and Andy were committed to their Catholic faith and actively practiced and shared their values with family.  Ann also loved the country gospel hymns she learned growing up.

Ann was deeply spiritual, modest, genuine, affectionate, and self-sacrificing. She cherished family above all else.  With a small touch, Ann communicated her unconditional and bottomless love.  When her children were home she was always up before everyone else and didn't go to bed at night till she was sure everyone else was sleeping safely and all had what they needed for the next day.    Ann enjoyed nature, painting gifts for her family, and singing.  She was a gifted artist.  When her children had grown, she worked with other's children in after school programs or in her church.

Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Andy Kerestine, her parents and her eight siblings.  She is survived by and will be greatly missed by her four children and their spouses, Julia, Kelly, Andy (Cheryl) and Paul (Diane); by her nine grandchildren; by her twelve great-grandchildren; and by dozens of nieces, and nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be held Thursday, April 15, 2021 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at DeBerry Funeral Directors. A mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, April 16, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Interment will follow the service at Roselawn Memorial Park in Denton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be donated to Scottish Rite Hospital: https://scottishriteforchildren.org/get-involved