December 2, 1951 ~ January 21, 2026 (age 74)
Frederick William “Freddy” Hester, 74, of Opelika, Alabama, passed away on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
Freddy was born on December 2, 1951, to Gerald and Ilse Hester, in Martinsville, VA. His childhood carried him to several different places, including Germany, before ultimately settling down in Guin, AL in 1955, where his roots were planted. He graduated from Marion County High School, where he excelled in football, track and creating endless amounts of mischief. Following high school, he moved on to Auburn University where he ran track and was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity. That is also where he met future wife, Suzanne.
He graduated with a degree in Education, and a Masters Degree in Education Administration. He started his career journey working at Valley Haven, teaching and caring for adults with special needs. In 1989 his career took a turn as he moved into the field of Human Resources at Diversified Products (DP) in Opelika. He followed that path which ultimately led him to Toyota’s North American Part Center Kentucky (NAPCK) in Florence KY in 1999, where he would spend the next 14 years until he retired in 2013. He returned back to his “second” home Opelika in 2022. Even though he never moved back to live in Guin AL, it always held a special place in his heart as “home”.
Freddy had a wide variety of interests, including golf, playing with his grandchildren, story telling (Some of which may even be true) and most favorably meticulously maintaining the lawn. He attended Church of the Highlands, in Opelika, with his family. He was an avid Auburn Tigers fan (as evidenced by the tattoo on his bicep). He was a member of the Marion County Sports Hall of Fame, and the Andy Griffith fan club. He played an active role in coaching and supporting his sons through their sports careers and was known by many little league players as “Coach Freddy”. He might have been most well known for his humor, and his ability to bring smiles and laughter to those around him.
Freddy is survived by his beloved wife, Suzanne; and their three sons, Kyle Hester of Opelika, AL, Drew Hester (Bonnie) of Asheville, NC, and Bryan Hester (Emily) of Edmonton, KY. He was a proud “Opa” to one grandson, Kellen and one granddaughter, Georgia. He is also survived by three siblings: brothers Jerry Hester (Sue) of Guin AL, Bryan Hester (Mary), of Nicholasville, KY, and one sister, Margaret Anne Kannensohn (Mike), of Atlanta, GA, along with a host of nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind many cherished coworkers that he met along the way, and cherished “brothers” from the Kappa Alpha fraternity. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert Gerald Hester and Ilse Susanna Hester.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026 at Jeffcoat Trant Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will be at 1:00pm – 2:30pm, with a memorial service immediately following, in the chapel.
The family respectfully requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the REACH Program (via Auburn United Methodist Church).To donate, please go to https://aumc.onlinegiving.org/donate/guest_donate?#!/ (Please select “Reach Memorials” in the dropdown box) or for information contact Sarah Jones sarahj@aumc.net.
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