Floyd Earl LESTER

LESTER, JONES, JOTTEN, JOHNSON, PEARSON, WADE, DARLAND, TERHARK, MCKNIGHT, PETERSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/17/2007 at 13:49:14

Funeral services for Floyd Earl Lester, 79, of Milaca, were held Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2005 at the First Baptist Church in Milaca with the Rev. Sheldon Carlson officiating. Burial followed at Forest Hill Cemetery in Milaca.? Music was provided by Anne Carlson, Mary Wallin and Ann Johnson. Pallbearers included Richard Gustafson, Donald Christensen, Oscar Anderson, Daniel Almquist, Michael Judd and Gary Eggen. Arrangements were by the Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca.

Floyd died on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005 at the Milaca Elim Home. He was born March 31, 1925 to Harry and Beatrice (Jones) Lester in Wright County, Iowa. He married Marvel Joyce Arlene Jotten on Aug. 10, 1946 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Newport News, Va. They lived in Virginia until Floyd was called to serve in the U.S. Army in Japan. In August 1947, he was honorably discharged from the Army at Fort Lawton, Wash. Early in 1948, they rented a farm in Wright County, Iowa and farmed, raising pigs and milking cows for nine years. During this time, all four of their children were born. In 1957, they purchased their own farm in Milo Township south of Foreston. They farmed and milked cows until Floyd was forced to quit farming due to health problems in 1967. They continued to live on the farm and Floyd drove school bus for North Star Garage until 1972, when health problems again forced him to quit working. In 1976, they sold the farm and bought a house in Milaca where they lived until 1999, when they sold the house and moved to the Milaca Park Apartments. Floyd was a member of the First Baptist Church in Milaca where he enjoyed observing the construction of their new church, stopping by daily to note the progress. In his earlier years, he loved to go fishing and camping with his wife, children and grandchildren. Floyd also enjoyed hunting for deer and pheasants with many different friends and neighbors. He enjoyed woodworking and yard work until health problems forced him to quit. After moving to the Milaca Park Apartments, Floyd's greatest enjoyment was time spent playing table games with family and friends.

Floyd is survived by his wife, Marvel of Milaca; children, Gerald Lee "Gary" and wife Hayly of Prineville, Ore., Glenda Lou and husband Michael Johnson of Milaca, Bonnie Jo and husband Edward Pearson of Walla Walla, Wash. and Rebecca Lynne "Becky" and husband Roger Wade of Circle Pines, Minn.; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; brothers, Derwin and wife Patricia Lester of Grand Meadow, Minn., Norman and wife Elaine Lester of Goldfield, Iowa and Leo and wife Beverly of Goldfield, Iowa; sisters, Verla and husband Vergil Darland of Goldfield, Iowa, Arlene and husband Curtis Terhark of St. Ansgar, Iowa, Patricia and husband Ronald McKnight of Brandon, S.D. and Yvonne Peterson of Eagle Grove, Iowa; also by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; granddaughter, Malissa Ann Lester; an infant granddaughter; infant brother, Daune Lester; brother, Arnold Lester; and sister, Marilyn Lester.

Mille Lacs County Times, MN
February 17, 2005