John Arthur Lester (1921-2003)
Obituary
Mr. John Arthur Lester, 81, of Gary Street, Gainesville, passed away Tuesday, June 3, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center following a brief illness.
Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, June 6, in the Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel. Dr. Shelia Bookout and Dr. Bob Bridges will officiate. Interment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. The family received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Mr. Lester was born in Barrow County but had lived in Hall County since 1954. He retired from Lester Brothers Body and Paint. He was a veteran of World War II where he took part in the Normandy Invasion on D-Day. He was active in the American Legion where he held various offices for over 50 years. He was very active in his church, St. Paul United Methodist Church. Mr. Lester was preceded in death by his parents, Tolbert Newton Lester and Ada McDonald Lester; brothers, Donald Lester, Joe Lester, Henry Lester, Carlton Lester and Wesley Lester; sisters, Carolyn Diletto and Doris Dellinger. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Lester's wish was for donations to be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church Building Fund, 404 Washington Street, Gainesville, GA 30501.
Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Frances Lester, Gainesville; daughter, Laura Burns, Big Canoe, GA; daughter and son-in-law, Janice and Dennis Abernathy, Statham, GA; brother, Tolbert Lester, Gainesville; sisters, Alice Palmer and Myrtice Wood, both of Athens, and Geneva Litchfield, Beaufort, S.C.; grandsons, John McGraw, Troy McGraw, Alex Pruitt; 8 great-grandchildren; a number of nieces and nephews and a host of friends.
Memorial Park Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Athens Banner-Herald, Friday, June 6, 2003