Dr. E. Russell Lester, 78, of Waco, died Saturday, March 17, 2007. Services will be 11 a.m., Friday, March 23, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home with Dr. Glenn Hilburn officiating. A private burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 22, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home at 6101 Bosque Blvd. Dr. Lester was born in Carnegie, Okla., on Sept. 30, 1928, to Ona May Houston and Christopher Columbus Lester. He graduated from Duncan High School and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Oklahoma Baptist University. He continued his education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received his Bachelor of Divinity and Doctor of Theology degrees. Dr. Lester became a professor Baylor University, where he taught the Bible to the students of Baylor for 42 years prior to his retirement in the spring of 1999. He was also an ordained minister, preaching in and around the Central Texas area. He additionally wrote on numerous biblical themes. After a lengthy struggle with Parkinson's disease, Dr. Lester is survived by his wife of 56 years, Virginia Mae of Waco; two children, Byron Kyle Lester and wife, Leann, of Waco, and Melinda Kaye and husband, Phillip Brown, of Corona DelMar, Calif.; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one brother, Duane Lester of Naples, Fla. Honorary pallbearers will be Kyle Lester; Chance Ingalsbe; gransons, Luke Brown, Perry Brown and Clay Lester; aswell as the Baylor Religion Dept. Faculty. The family would like to offer a special thank you to the many tireless nurses at Providence Home Care, especially Barbara Ruckman, as well as Providence Hospice for their loving care. Memorials may be made to the Department of Religion at Baylor University. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. September 30, 1928 - March 17, 2007 Sign the Guest Book at www.wacotrib.com