Lester Leroy Smith passed from this earth on Friday, March 16, 2018 at his home in Fairfield, Texas surrounded by his beloved family.
Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 18, 2018 at Capps Memorial Chapel.
Funeral Service will be held Monday, March 19th at 2:00 p.m. at the Mt. Zion Cemetery, east of Fairfield on Hwy 84.
Dr. Richard Heyduck of First United Methodist Church of Fairfield will officiate.
Lester was born on February 21, 1932 to Claudia (DuBois) and I.D. Smith in Palacios, Texas. He was the baby of six siblings: two brothers and four sisters.
His mother passed away while he was still an infant, and Lester went to live with his “Papa” Charlie, and then with other family members; growing up in the Oak Grove community of East Texas.
When he was seven years old, Lester came to live with his cousin, Burton Rayburn, newly married to his sixteen-year-old bride, Avis. He eventually became the adored older brother of four sisters: Melba Sue, Nelda, Muriel and Linda.
At age 17, Lester enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He served during the Korean Conflict and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan where he worked in teletype maintenance, and then served a second tour at Osan Air Base in Korea.
Lester married Gloria Willard on July 29, 1961 at the First United Methodist Church in Fairfield, Texas. They had two daughters, Lynda and Karen.
In the late 1960’s, Lester was stationed in Athens, Greece with his young family. They later returned to the States, where Lester was a cryptologist instructor at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
Lester retired from the Air Force in 1970 with the rank of Tech Sergeant.
His next job was one of his favorites, working for Automotive Research in San Antonio.
In 1974, Lester joined one of his best friends, Bob Davis, in moving their families to the small town of Sheridan, Oregon to work as an electrician at a local lumber mill.
Within a few short years, Lester’s family had saved enough to buy a house and some property near Gloria’s family in Fairfield, Texas.
As his wife made use of her Nursing degree at Fairfield Memorial Hospital, Lester went to work at home, clearing land, building fences, raising chickens, and planting a garden.
With the help of his father-in-law, Bert Willard, Lester built a barn and chicken house that, even after forty years, still stand strong.
When the projects slowed down at home, Lester took on the job of Head Maintenance at Fairfield Memorial Hospital. He kept everything running in good order, while charming the nurses, cooks and cleaning staff.
After retiring from the hospital – twice – Lester spent his time reading books, keeping up with the Weather Channel, and watching a menagerie of pets interact with the squirrels, rabbits, and armadillos.
Lester was preceded in death by his mother and birth father; three birth sisters: Artis, Alberta, Bertie, and Pauline; two birth brothers, Willie Smith and “Happy” Jack Smith; his adopted father, Burton Rayburn and step-mother, Avis Rayburn.
He is survived by his wife, Gloria; his daughters, Lynda Pinson and Karen Leidy, both of Fairfield; grandchildren: Kimberley Brown and her husband, David, of Houston, Joshua Jones, and his partner, Tearsha Cockerell of Streetman, Megan Hempel, and her partner, Spencer Hancock of Teague; Allison Leidy of Denver, Colorado, and Faith Pinson of Fairfield; a great-grandson, Riley Hempel of Teague; adopted sisters, Sue McLellan of Vidor, Texas, Nelda Hammons and husband, George, of Zavalla, Texas, Muriel Rushing of Broaddus, Texas, and Lynda Smith and her husband, Danny, of Houston, Texas, and many nieces, nephews, family and friends.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to hospice plus – 321 E. Spring St., suite 121 – Palestine, TX 75801
To view an online obituary, send a personalized sympathy card, or leave the family a personal tribute, please visit www.cappschapel.com.
