Lester, William W.

William W. (Bill) Lester, 78, recently of Richmond, Va., and longtime resident of Dublin, Va., died on Wednesday, July 3, 2013. A gathering to celebrate his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 13, 2013, at Harvest House at 300 Pumpkin Place in the Harvest Glen Community. Bill was born in Riner, Va., on January 12, 1935, and graduated from Auburn High School. He then served two years with the military police, 18 months of which was spent in Europe.

He joined the Virginia State Police in 1957 and served as a State Trooper for 30 years out of the Buchanan and Pulaski County stations. Bill enjoyed crossword puzzles, “Foyle’s War,” roaming the roads of Montgomery and Floyd Counties, and drinking coffee while sitting on his back porch at Roseberry Street in Dublin, Va. He always enjoyed gardening and later in life became a Master Gardener. He was also actively involved in volunteering at Daily Bread in Pulaski, Va., and the Juvenile Home in Christiansburg, Va.

Bill was married to Betty Compton Lester, of Grundy, Va., on February 9, 1958. He is survived by his wife, Betty; and their four children, Liz Lilly and husband, Wallace, of Franklin, Tenn., Craig Lester and wife, Debbie, of Kingsport, Tenn., and Bruce Lester and wife, Kari, and Lynn Gray and husband, Don, of Richmond, Va.; and their five grandchildren, Kilah Lester, Stephen Lester, Josh Lester, Liza Gray and Erin Gray. He is also survived by his sisters, Irene Arthur, of Florida and formerly of Christiansburg, and Maxine Keister, of Richmond; and his brother, Fred Lester, of North Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Bill’s favorite charity, Pulaski Daily Bread, c/o First Presbyterian Church, 408 Jefferson Avenue North, Pulaski, VA 24301-4616.