WIGHT, Lester Delin "Les"

WIGHT, VAN BIBER

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/31/2016 at 14:04:45

Biography ~ Lester Delin "Les" Wight
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Lester Delin "Les" Wight was born on February 19, 1924, in Iola, Kansas. He grew up in Garnett, Kansas and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the age of eighteen. As member of the Army Air Corps during World War II, he supervised more than 115 U.S. Armed Forces instructors in Munich, Germany, from 1952 to 1955.He owned a professional photography studio in Independence, Missouri, served as audio visual artist and photographer for the RLDS Church, and taught at the Kansas City Art Institute and Ruskin High School.
Les Wight earned his M.F.A. in 1950 from the Kansas City Art Institute.

On January 21, 1950, Les married Darlene Van Biber. After their marriage, the Wights traveled to Mexico where he lived and studied. Besides painting and drawing he apprenticed to a Native Silversmith Studio in Taxco, Mexico. During 1952 to 1955, he acted as the Civilian Administrative Director for the Allied Military Forces Southern Area Command in Munich, Germany supervising over 115 instructors involved with teaching art to the U.S. Armed Forces. He studied under scholarship at the Hague Institute, Holland and had art exhibitions in Germany. He also attended the Leitz School of Photography. His studies expanded to Europe in his attendance at the Nuremberg Academy at Erlingen, Germany in 1953-1954.

Upon the Wight's return to the United States in 1955, Les opened his own photography studio in Independence, Missouri, providing photographs for commercial business, school systems, newspapers and magazines. He was employed by the RLDS Church as audio visual artist and photographer until 1959. He became an assistant professor at the Kansas City Art Institute in 1958 and taught at Ruskin High School from 1960 to 1961.

Les and Darlene joined Graceland's faculty in 1961, Les as an art instructor and Darlene as a teacher of speech and English.

At Graceland, Les established the first Art Major program and was instrumental in creating the college's four-year comprehensive art curriculum. For 26 years, Les taught painting, drawing, ceramics, graphics and photography. He was known for his dedicated, serious approach in his instruction. He designed and constructed art tables, ceramic kick wheels, photography darkrooms and kilns. He successfully pushed for the addition of a concrete sidewalk to the Kelley Hall art building.

Les designed and crafted the presidential pendant that has been worn by Graceland College presidents since 1966.

Les and Darlene retired as professors emeritus and emerita in 1987. Upon retirement, the Wights moved to Kansas City, Missouri.

Les died on August 3, 1995, Kansas City, Missouri.

SOURCE: Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” p. 447. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

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