Nat Kessler and Sara Ellen Potashnick were married June 21, 1947 at United Hebrew Congregation in St. Louis. Rabbi Abraham Halpern of B’nai Amoona and Rabbi Samuel Thurman of United Hebrew officiated. 

Nat earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Washington University and was employed by A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company in Decatur, Ill. Sara volunteered for mental health, civic, educational and Jewish organizations in Illinois.

The couple have three daughters, Joy (Steve Shostrom) of Peoria, Ill., Gail (Richard Dent) of Tucson, Ariz., and Margie of University City. They have three granddaughters, Jennifer Dent, Talissa Ford and Rebecca Dent and a great-grandchild due this summer.

After retiring from Staley in 1985, Nat continued consulting with NASA and The Technical Transfer Society. In 1991, the Kesslers returned to St. Louis to be near their siblings Morris (z’’l) and Roberta Kessler, Gert and Bernard (z’’l) Hulbert, Ruth and Sylvan (z’’l) Sandler, and Norman (z’’l) and Jo (z’’l) Potashnick, as well as many dear cousins, nieces and nephews. The couple are now members of Central Reform Congregation. 

When asked to comment on their 70th anniversary, the couple said, “Our love, our children, our family, friends, and music have made our lives wonderful!”