Madalene Donna Lisa Lach Kesner

Madalene Kesner, 64, Wife, Mother, Daughter, and Sister, passed on May 4, 2022. She was born on October 17, 1957, in New York, NY, born to Edythe Paymer.

Madalene grew up in Woodmere, New York. She graduated from G.W. Hewlett High School in 1975. She attended college at Mansfield State College and graduated in 1979 with a B.A. in Social Work.

She and her husband, Byron, met in Arad, Israel and spent a year working and living on a kibbutz and at the Ben Gurion Institute for Desert Research together. They married in June of 1981 then attended the University of Georgia together for graduate studies. Madalene and Byron raised their three children in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Madalene was proud to be a full-time mother to her three children. In spite of her struggles with depression and mental health, Madalene frequently was able to find the beauty in life around her. She loved pretty flowers, read poetry and mystery novels, and collected Judaica and art by female artists. She also fostered a lifelong love of reading in her children. Madalene spent her recent days as an active Facebook participant, catching up on television series and movies, and loving on her two poodles, Abby, and Sophie.

Madalene was preceded in death by her stepfather, Dr. Marvin Paymer, whom she loved dearly. She is survived by her husband Byron Kesner; daughter Hannah Kesner; daughter Melanie Kesner; son Isaac Kesner; mother Edythe Paymer; brother Jonathon Lach; and stepbrothers Steve Paymer and David Paymer.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, May 9th at Fairview Memorial Park. The family will be siting Shiva that evening at Congregation Albert. Please consider making a donation to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or the American Diabetes Association in her honor. May her memory be for a blessing.