Bradford, ME - Harold “Leo” Hester of Bradford, Maine, (formerly of Colby Siding, ME, Veazie, ME, Duncan, SC, and Simi Valley, CA as he lived part-time with many of his children) went home to be with our Lord and Savior on July 31st, 2016. He passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family. He was born April 21st, 1935, in Greenville Alabama, the son of Houston Hester and Opal Troutman Hester.
Leo grew up in Mobile, AL and San Antonio, TX, and joined the United States Air Force that took him to Loring AFB where he met his beloved wife Geneva Walton Hester, with whom he lived for 48 years. Together they raised their 6 children.
Leo served the US in the Air Force for 21 years, including tours in Vietnam, Greenland, Misawa Japan, Africa, the Philippines and Goose Bay Labrador, to name a few; retiring after returning to a final tour at Loring AFB in Limestone, ME, where the family finally settled in Colby Siding, ME. His next career started at Loring AFB as well, where he worked for Civil Service while attending college nights through Ricker and Husson Colleges, attaining his BS in Business Administration. He became the Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor for Loring AFB and worked another 22 years for our country.
After his second retirement, Leo and Geneva built a home in Duncan, SC with the help of their daughter Linda and Son-in-law Michael St. Peter. After his wife “Neva’s” passing in 2004, he loved to travel around the country in his dually pickup with his “Redneck Motel” (pop-up camper) in tow. He made a valiant effort to get to all of the United States that are reachable by road. He even picked up a passenger / buddy named Cujo, his little Jack Russell Terrier to share many, many miles behind the wheel.
Leo was a Lifetime member of the NRA, Word of Life Club supporter, as well as St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, The Wounded Warrior Project, and his favorite charity, The Rock Pentecostal Mission in Chennai, India. He loved to fish and fly tying, was a Pyrotechnic Specialist and an avid story-teller.
He was a loving father and husband who enjoyed sharing his life stories with his descendants. He was a follower of Jesus who loved to share his faith in song. He is survived by all six children, Rick Hester and his wife Dawn of Lewiston, ME; Linda St. Peter and her husband Mike of Spartanburg, SC; Jim Hester of Veazie, ME; Mark Hester and his wife Heather of Bradford, ME, Kimberlee Chevreux and her husband Eric of Simi Valley, CA, and Marty Hester and his wife Coleen of Simi Valley, CA; as well as 15 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 1 brother James Gomillion of Duncan, SC and 1 sister Carolyn Gomillion Sanders of Montgomery, AL, and numerous other relatives, some of whom he called his own. He was predeceased by his wife Geneva Walton Hester, his sister Anita Hester Torres and two brothers, Donald Hester and Abbott Hester.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Ritter and staff, St. Joseph’s Home Health & Hospice, The Visiting Angels and many Faith Bible College International Students of Charleston, ME. All of these went above and beyond with loving and professional support making Leo’s last days significantly more enjoyable and rewarding.
At Leo’s request, there will be no funeral as his family gathered together with him to enjoy his last few days here on earth. A committal service will be scheduled at a later date for the remainder of his ashes to be place in The Wall at the Maine Veteran’s Cemetery in Caribou, ME - with his wife Geneva’s. He requested a portion of his ashes be scattered at their previous home in Colby Siding and near his childhood swimming hole in Chickasaw Bogue Creek, in Alabama.
Leo requested in lieu of flowers that any memorials be given to the Wounded Warriors Project or to The Rock Pentecostal Mission in Chennai, India ℅ his son Mark Hester of 17 S. Smith Rd., Bradford, ME 04410. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.memorial-alternatives.com
Leo grew up in Mobile, AL and San Antonio, TX, and joined the United States Air Force that took him to Loring AFB where he met his beloved wife Geneva Walton Hester, with whom he lived for 48 years. Together they raised their 6 children.
Leo served the US in the Air Force for 21 years, including tours in Vietnam, Greenland, Misawa Japan, Africa, the Philippines and Goose Bay Labrador, to name a few; retiring after returning to a final tour at Loring AFB in Limestone, ME, where the family finally settled in Colby Siding, ME. His next career started at Loring AFB as well, where he worked for Civil Service while attending college nights through Ricker and Husson Colleges, attaining his BS in Business Administration. He became the Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor for Loring AFB and worked another 22 years for our country.
After his second retirement, Leo and Geneva built a home in Duncan, SC with the help of their daughter Linda and Son-in-law Michael St. Peter. After his wife “Neva’s” passing in 2004, he loved to travel around the country in his dually pickup with his “Redneck Motel” (pop-up camper) in tow. He made a valiant effort to get to all of the United States that are reachable by road. He even picked up a passenger / buddy named Cujo, his little Jack Russell Terrier to share many, many miles behind the wheel.
Leo was a Lifetime member of the NRA, Word of Life Club supporter, as well as St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, The Wounded Warrior Project, and his favorite charity, The Rock Pentecostal Mission in Chennai, India. He loved to fish and fly tying, was a Pyrotechnic Specialist and an avid story-teller.
He was a loving father and husband who enjoyed sharing his life stories with his descendants. He was a follower of Jesus who loved to share his faith in song. He is survived by all six children, Rick Hester and his wife Dawn of Lewiston, ME; Linda St. Peter and her husband Mike of Spartanburg, SC; Jim Hester of Veazie, ME; Mark Hester and his wife Heather of Bradford, ME, Kimberlee Chevreux and her husband Eric of Simi Valley, CA, and Marty Hester and his wife Coleen of Simi Valley, CA; as well as 15 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 1 brother James Gomillion of Duncan, SC and 1 sister Carolyn Gomillion Sanders of Montgomery, AL, and numerous other relatives, some of whom he called his own. He was predeceased by his wife Geneva Walton Hester, his sister Anita Hester Torres and two brothers, Donald Hester and Abbott Hester.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Ritter and staff, St. Joseph’s Home Health & Hospice, The Visiting Angels and many Faith Bible College International Students of Charleston, ME. All of these went above and beyond with loving and professional support making Leo’s last days significantly more enjoyable and rewarding.
At Leo’s request, there will be no funeral as his family gathered together with him to enjoy his last few days here on earth. A committal service will be scheduled at a later date for the remainder of his ashes to be place in The Wall at the Maine Veteran’s Cemetery in Caribou, ME - with his wife Geneva’s. He requested a portion of his ashes be scattered at their previous home in Colby Siding and near his childhood swimming hole in Chickasaw Bogue Creek, in Alabama.
Leo requested in lieu of flowers that any memorials be given to the Wounded Warriors Project or to The Rock Pentecostal Mission in Chennai, India ℅ his son Mark Hester of 17 S. Smith Rd., Bradford, ME 04410. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.memorial-alternatives.com
Photo Gallery
Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors