Lester Feaster and Ada Feaster nee Kreiser and their son Lester Jr, standing in front of Emma Wike nee Feaster's home.
By Polly Mazariegos nee Wagaman
In 1933, when Myra Feaster nee Burkepile died, her son Lester was only around 17 years old. Harvey Feaster, Lester’s father, was a carpenter by trade and in 1937 he built two houses next door to each other, on Reinoehl Street in Lebanon, PA. Lester and his father lived in one of the houses until 1959 when Harvey Feaster passed away. Lester’s sister, Emma Wike nee Feaster lived next door in the other house with her husband and children.
Lester worked for Bethlehem Steel Corporation until he entered the U.S. Army during WW II. Then he worked for the U.S. Army Engineers in Persia, which is now Iran. After the war he returned home and went back to work at Bethlehem Steel until he retired.
Harvey Wike, Lester’s nephew, said that he was very close to Lester and that at one time Lester put a tent up in their back yard and sold candy, ice cream, and soda. This is where Harvey said he was really spoiled by Lester. If I would ride my bike by his tent out back, he would give me treats free, Harvey Wike said.
Whenever Les bought a car, Harvey Wike was the first to get a ride in it. Harvey and Lester would spend a lot of time talking about the Army and Lester told Harvey many times, he wished that he had stayed in the service until retirement. Les was also a musician and a performer. He played a one piece band and performed at barn dances as far away as Wheeling, West Virginia.
A copy of Lesters obituary states:
Lester S. Feaster, Sr., 75 of 570 Reinoehl Street, Lebanon died Sunday, Feb. 10, 1991, in the Good Samaritan Hospital, Lebanon, PA. He was the husband of the late Ada Kreiser Feaster. Born in Lebanon, he was a son of the late Harvey and Mira A. Burkepile Feaster. He served in Europe during W.W. II and was a retired employee of Bethlehem Steel Corp. Lebanon, with more than 30 years of service. He was a member of the Lebanon VFW Post. Surviving are children: Lester S. Feaster, Jr., Myerstown; Linda Beck, Manheim (now at Annville); Brenda L. , wife of Robert Krause, Cornwall; Karen M. Feaster and Sandra J. Feaster both at home; and six grandchildren.
Another newspaper said:
Lester Feaster [died] in Lebanon, PA on Friday February 10, 1991, husband of the late Ada Kreiser Feaster of 570 Reinoehl St. Lebanon, at age 75. Funeral service will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. from Rohland Funeral Home, 5th & Cumberland Sts., Lebanon. Interment at Ebenezer Cemetery. Friends may call Wednesday from 10 a.m. until time of service at the Funeral Home.
There was also a newspaper clipping about Lester, when he was in the Army. It said:
Private First Class Lester S. Feaster, is serving in the U. S. Army Engineers somewhere in Persia. He is the son of Harvey Feaster, Lebanon RD 2. The local soldier took his basic training at Camp Gruber, OK, and additional training at a camp in California. Before his induction in August 1942, he was employed at the Bethlehem Steel Plant in Lebanon.
I would like to thank William and Harvey Wike for their contributions to this story.
Pauline (Polly) Mazariegos nee Wagaman.
Published U.S. Legacies January 2005
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