Services have now been set for Mr. Lester, a beloved local veteran, dedicated volunteer and KATC's good friend, who passed away this week.
A Funeral Service will be celebrated on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at 11:00 am at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette for Lester Dayton Boyer, 93, who passed away on Tuesday, November 12th at Camelot Rehabilitation at Magnolia Park in Lafayette.
Visitation will be observed at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home on Friday, November 15th from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm and resumes Saturday, November 16th at 9:00 am until the time of service.
A special time of remembrance for family and friends to share will be held on Friday, November 15th from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Interment with military honors will follow in Fountain Memorial Cemetery in Lafayette.
Reverend Scott McKenzie of First Baptist Church of Lafayette will officiate. His son, Tim Boyer will read a eulogy for his father.
Lester was born February 24, 1926, in Welsh and was a long-time resident of Acadiana. He graduated with a associate degree in civil engineering at Kilgore Junior College in Kilgore, Texas in 1946. He was employed by John Chance Civil Engineering Co. for more than 30 years. Lester was a member of the First Baptist Church in Lafayette.
He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a volunteer at the VA Clinic, and served in the Acadian Veteran Honor Guard. He was a 32nd degree mason and was a member of Hope Lodge #145 in Lafayette.
To read his full obituary, click here.
The World War II veteran was featured in an award-winning story by Jim Hummel, "Coffee with Mr. Lester." You can watch it here.
The piece won a first-place AP award, which of course went to Mr. Lester. Read about that here.
Until recently when he was too ill to do so, Mr. Lester was at the VA clinic on Ambassador Caffery every day, greeting his fellow vets with a cup of coffee and an irresistible smile.
“I’m here everyday except when it’s a holiday and they’re closed,” Boyer told us. “I make the coffee for them, it’s a big thing for me.”
He was also known to offer cheer with his dancing. He said his volunteering was important to him, and he would do it "until my dying day."
