MRS. EARL P. (Eleanor C. Steffen) LESTER

SUTTON, STEFFEN, LESTER, SIEGWORTH, BERGQUIST, TORBORG, AVENARIUS, CLARK, WALKER, SCHABER, AEGLER

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 2/23/2003 at 17:02:09

Eleanor C. Lester

Tuesday, February 18, 2003

Mrs. Earl P. (Eleanor C.) Lester, 85, of Dubuque Nursing and Rehab Center, formerly of 2955 Kaufmann Ave. and 230 Cardiff St., died at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, 2003, at Dubuque Nursing and Rehab Center.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Raphael's Cathedral. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main St., where there will be a parish wake service at 4:30 p.m.

She was born on Sept. 9, 1917, in Cresco, Iowa, daughter of John and Bertha (Sutton) Steffen. She married Earl P. Lester on Dec. 2, 1939, at St. Raphael's Cathedral, Dubuque; he died on May 13, 1991.

She was a member of St. Raphael's Cathedral.

She was a tiny woman who managed to take care of a much larger husband through the physical disability that he suffered for most of their years together, very seldom seeking help from others.

Eleanor loved cards, Iowa Hawkeye basketball, the Cubs and her crafts. She especially enjoyed the happy times she spent with her friends at Stonehill Adult Center in her later years.

Surviving are a daughter, Carole A. (Vern) Siegworth, of Dubuque; two sons, Paul J. "P.J." (Cindy) Lester, of Coralville, Iowa, and Daniel E. (Lana) Lester, of Dubuque; seven grandchildren, John Siegworth, Jean (Larry) Bergquist, Christine (Kevin) Torborg, Colleen Avenarius, Regina (Tim) Clark, Christine Lester and Randy (Beth) Lester; 10 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Florence Walker, of Rochester, Minn., and Mildred Schaber, of Cuba City, Wis.; a brother, John (Barbara) Steffen, of Farley, Iowa; and a brother-in-law, John Aegler, of Hemet, Calif.

She also was preceded in death by a sister, Emma Aegler.

In lieu of flowers, an Eleanor C. Lester Memorial Fund has been established.

A very special thank-you to all our Angels at Dubuque Nursing and Rehab (you, too, Mike!) for treating Mom with love in her last days.