Lester, Laverne

LaVerne Lester, 73, of Narrows, Va., went home to be with the Lord on Monday, April 5, 2010, at Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital in Pearisburg after a long battle with illness. She was born at Mayberry, W.Va., on June 3, 1936, and was the daughter of the late Harry Maynard Surratt and Laura Belle Davis Stephens. In addition to her mother and father, she was preceded in death by a brother, Dickie Surratt. She was a former employee of Radford Army Ammunition Plant where she worked as a secretary, and as a bookkeeper for the sewing factory in Narrows. She’ll be best remembered as a staunch advocate of Narrows residents, a strong voice for the welfare of her community. A loving wife, mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother, she will be dearly missed by her family and all who knew her. Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Marvin (Buck) Lester Jr.; two sons, Blake Lester and wife, Joy, and Cliff Lester, both of Narrows; three daughters, Lynette Lawson and husband, Michael, of Christiansburg, Regena Soon and husband, Andrew, of Knoxville, Tenn., and Alesia Collins and husband, Larry, of Narrows; nine grandchildren, Allison Lester, Nalani, Kekona, Elijah, ReAnn, Nathan, and Micah Soon, Ryan and Aaron Collins; one greatgranddaughter, Hannah Lester; a brother, Mickey Surratt and wife, Edith Mae, of Fincastle; three sisters, Lucille Pruett, Minnie Belle Warner, and Fran Caldwell and husband, Henry, all of Narrows; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and many special friends. A graveside service will be held 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, 2010, at Fairview Cemetery in Narrows with Pastor Shahn Wilburn officiating. The family will receive friends at Riffe’s Funeral Service in Narrows on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, from 6 to 8 p.m. The family requests that those sending memorial contributions, please consider VFW Post #6000 of Narrows. Online condolence messages to the family can be sent to www.riffes.com.