Lester J. Wilhelm
Lester
J. Wilhelm, 80, Seneca, died late Saturday evening, February 7, 2004,
at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca. He was
transferred
there from Crestview Manor where he had been a resident since March
of 2000.
He was born July 9, 1923, at Kelly, KS,
the son of Anthony and Elizabeth Heinen Wilhelm. He grew up there and
attended school. He was inducted
into the U.S. Army on February 10, 1945, and served in the Pacific
theater during World War II. He was discharged on October 28, 1946.
After returning to Seneca, he worked for Ray Droge Construction and
for Francis Zelfer on his farm. In 1948 he moved to Woodlawn, where
he farmed and worked at the Oneida Elevator. In February of 1968 he
began employment at the Farmer’s Elevator, later called Seneca
Elevator, where he worked 30 years until his retirement in June of
1998.
On January 3, 1945, he married Virginia M. Lehmkuhl at Sts. Peter & Paul
Church in Seneca. They lived south of Seneca most of their married
life. They were married for 56 years before her death on January 4,
2001.
He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, the St. Joseph Society,
the Knights of Columbus #1769 for over 50 years, and a lifetime member
of the Seneca Memorial Post #7458 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Lester enjoyed playing cards at the Knights of Columbus clubroom and
visiting with his friends.
Survivors are four sons, Wayne of Junction
City, Robert “Bob” of Barryton,
Dale of Seneca, and Thomas of Hiawatha; a daughter, Charlene Collom
of Topeka; two sisters, Gladys Forst of Wamego and Elda Rose Koch of
Marysville; fourteen
grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Besides his wife, he was preceded in
death by a granddaughter, Lori Collom, on January 19, 1998.
The mass of Christian burial will be
10:30 A.M. Tuesday at Sts. Peter & Paul
Church in Seneca. The burial will be at the church cemetery, with full
military honors by the 190th Air Refueling Wing, which is the unit
of Lester's son
Bob,
presently
serving in Iraq, and by the VFW and the American Legion
of Seneca.. The rosary will be prayed at the
Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca on Monday at 2 and 7 P.M.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul School and sent in
care of the family.