Ashley Keith Lester, 65, of Washington, died Tuesday, January 14, 2020, in his apartment, of natural causes.
He was born December 22, 1954, in Selma, Ala., a son of the late Dr. Hiram Jefferson Lester and Anne Harrell Lester.
Keith grew up in New Haven, Conn., and Bethany, W.Va., where his father was professor of religious studies at Bethany College and his mother worked in administration. He graduated from Brooke High School in 1974, attended the Community College of Allegheny County and served in the U.S. Navy as an orderly. He worked at the Bison Inn, Bethany College dining hall, W&J grounds department, several hospitals and the Washington City Mission. He was a member of the Bethany Memorial Church.
Lester was a very creative soul and an accomplished artist, often sketching historic buildings. His sketch of the former Washington YMCA building appeared in the Observer-Reporter in 2013 entitled "Picture of Despair." A fine writer, he wrote numerous science fiction short stories but chose not to publish them.
He is survived by uncle Jarrell Lester of Milledgeville, Ga.; cousin Celia Waters of Fairhope, Ala.; and three stepsiblings, Bruce Reinstedt of Ashland, Ore., Lee Reinstedt of Irvin, Calif., and Jane Cohn of Mt. Shasta, Calif.
Dr. Sharon Watkins will preside at a graveside service at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 1, in Campbell Cemetery, Bethany, W.Va., where he will be buried alongside his parents. Friends will be received from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday in Serenity House, 119 Roosevelt Avenue, Bethany.
Published in Observer-Reporter on Jan. 29, 2020
He was born December 22, 1954, in Selma, Ala., a son of the late Dr. Hiram Jefferson Lester and Anne Harrell Lester.
Keith grew up in New Haven, Conn., and Bethany, W.Va., where his father was professor of religious studies at Bethany College and his mother worked in administration. He graduated from Brooke High School in 1974, attended the Community College of Allegheny County and served in the U.S. Navy as an orderly. He worked at the Bison Inn, Bethany College dining hall, W&J grounds department, several hospitals and the Washington City Mission. He was a member of the Bethany Memorial Church.
Lester was a very creative soul and an accomplished artist, often sketching historic buildings. His sketch of the former Washington YMCA building appeared in the Observer-Reporter in 2013 entitled "Picture of Despair." A fine writer, he wrote numerous science fiction short stories but chose not to publish them.
He is survived by uncle Jarrell Lester of Milledgeville, Ga.; cousin Celia Waters of Fairhope, Ala.; and three stepsiblings, Bruce Reinstedt of Ashland, Ore., Lee Reinstedt of Irvin, Calif., and Jane Cohn of Mt. Shasta, Calif.
Dr. Sharon Watkins will preside at a graveside service at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 1, in Campbell Cemetery, Bethany, W.Va., where he will be buried alongside his parents. Friends will be received from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday in Serenity House, 119 Roosevelt Avenue, Bethany.
Published in Observer-Reporter on Jan. 29, 2020
Ashley Keith Lester, 65, of Washington, died Tuesday, January 14, 2020, in his apartment, of natural causes.
He was born December 22, 1954, in Selma, Ala., a son of the late Dr. Hiram Jefferson Lester and Anne Harrell Lester.
Keith grew up in New Haven, Conn., and Bethany, W.Va., where his father was professor of religious studies at Bethany College and his mother worked in administration. He graduated from Brooke High School in 1974, attended the Community College of Allegheny County and served in the U.S. Navy as an orderly. He worked at the Bison Inn, Bethany College dining hall, W&J grounds department, several hospitals and the Washington City Mission. He was a member of the Bethany Memorial Church.
Lester was a very creative soul and an accomplished artist, often sketching historic buildings. His sketch of the former Washington YMCA building appeared in the Observer-Reporter in 2013 entitled "Picture of Despair." A fine writer, he wrote numerous science fiction short stories but chose not to publish them.
He is survived by uncle Jarrell Lester of Milledgeville, Ga.; cousin Celia Waters of Fairhope, Ala.; and three stepsiblings, Bruce Reinstedt of Ashland, Ore., Lee Reinstedt of Irvin, Calif., and Jane Cohn of Mt. Shasta, Calif.
Dr. Sharon Watkins will preside at a graveside service at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 1, in Campbell Cemetery, Bethany, W.Va., where he will be buried alongside his parents. Friends will be received from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday in Serenity House, 119 Roosevelt Avenue, Bethany.
Published in Observer-Reporter on Jan. 29, 2020
He was born December 22, 1954, in Selma, Ala., a son of the late Dr. Hiram Jefferson Lester and Anne Harrell Lester.
Keith grew up in New Haven, Conn., and Bethany, W.Va., where his father was professor of religious studies at Bethany College and his mother worked in administration. He graduated from Brooke High School in 1974, attended the Community College of Allegheny County and served in the U.S. Navy as an orderly. He worked at the Bison Inn, Bethany College dining hall, W&J grounds department, several hospitals and the Washington City Mission. He was a member of the Bethany Memorial Church.
Lester was a very creative soul and an accomplished artist, often sketching historic buildings. His sketch of the former Washington YMCA building appeared in the Observer-Reporter in 2013 entitled "Picture of Despair." A fine writer, he wrote numerous science fiction short stories but chose not to publish them.
He is survived by uncle Jarrell Lester of Milledgeville, Ga.; cousin Celia Waters of Fairhope, Ala.; and three stepsiblings, Bruce Reinstedt of Ashland, Ore., Lee Reinstedt of Irvin, Calif., and Jane Cohn of Mt. Shasta, Calif.
Dr. Sharon Watkins will preside at a graveside service at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 1, in Campbell Cemetery, Bethany, W.Va., where he will be buried alongside his parents. Friends will be received from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday in Serenity House, 119 Roosevelt Avenue, Bethany.
Published in Observer-Reporter on Jan. 29, 2020
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