Lloyd Lester
Lloyd Lester 86, peacefully passed away on Saturday Oct. 12, 2024, at St. Rose Care Center, Lamoure, ND with family by his side.
Lloyd's memorial service is at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at the Community Presbyterian Church, Fairview, MT, with Pastor David Meehan officiating. Inurnment will be in the Fairview Cemetery, Fairview, ND. Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Sidney, MT, is assisting the family. Remembrances, condolences, and pictures may be shared with the family at http://www.fulkersons.com.
Lloyd was born March 8, 1938, at Troy, ID, to parents Joseph and Fern (Wetherelt) Lester, the fifth of what would be eight children. He spent his childhood in Charbonneau, ND, where he attended school until the eighth grade. At 14 years old he went to work at the C. F. Martell Ranch. He especially loved to tell stories of his time there in his final years. He worked various other jobs until moving to Fairview where he married Charleen Best at Towner, ND, and began working for Vernon Klose. While working there they added Shane in 1962 and Ginger in 1963 to the family. In 1964 he began renting land and started farming on his own. That same year Shelly joined the family. In 1970 he bought the farm at Dore, ND, where he farmed and raised cattle until 1980.
In the late 70s and early 80s he worked various jobs related to the oil field. He worked as seismograph permitter, helped build seismographing rigs, and dynamite storage containers. After farming he and others built a rig for filling coal mines. They were the first to fill coal mines to 100%.
Shortly after building their log home in 1981, he began working for McKenzie County, eventually becoming road supervisor for the Cartwright district. This he did until his retirement.
In 1990, his wife Charleen passed. In 1993 he was united in marriage to Sammie Bieber (Hurley). Throughout his years he enjoyed the outdoors spending time camping, fishing, and hunting. Trips to the mountains were always a highlight for him and the family. Even though he no longer farmed he spent a lot of time gardening and planting trees which kept him connected to the land. He always found it a challenge to grow something that shouldn't grow here such as peanuts, cotton, tobacco, okra, and his black walnut trees.
He was always a collector of anything old and saw value in all of it. He especially enjoyed restoring tractors, mostly John Deeres. Not only did he like old things, but he was also drawn to young children, and they were drawn to him. He had a special connection to young children.
Lloyd and Sammie spent their years together traveling to see family. They even managed a trip to Alaska, taking their car on a ferry, spending time on the island at Petersburg in Alaska, and then driving through Alaska and back to Fairview.
He had a quirky sense of humor. He liked collecting unique hats and any other odd items he ran across.
He is survived by his wife Sammie (Hurley Bieber), Fairview, MT, Son Shane Lester, Newburg, ND, daughters, Ginger (David) Podoll, Fullerton, ND, and Shelly (Jay) Obergfell, Fairview, MT, stepsons Don Bieber, Petersburg, AK, Duane (Karen) Bieber, Sidney, MT, Dennis (Amanda) Bieber, Sentinel Butte, ND, Stepdaughters, Diane (Jeff) Siefert, Barrow, AK, Denise Massey, Sidney, MT. Sisters Thelma Vrana, Upton, WY, Ida Harmon, Williston, ND, and Hazel (Dan) Brossman, Lander, WY. In-laws Renee Best Officer and Mike (Mary) Hurley as well as 16 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Preceded in death by his wife, Charleen Lester, parents, Joseph and Fern (Wetherelt), brothers Tom and Merle Lester, and sisters Annie Tysver and Elsie Carstens.
Special thanks to the staff of St. Rose Care Center and Hospice of the Red River Valley.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Martha's Place – future Hospice House of eastern Montana.
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