Rev. Lester G. Dean, 74, of McLeansboro, died Thursday, February 3, 2000, at 4:50 p.m. at the Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro, Illinois.
Mr. Dean was born on September 5, 1925, in Decatur, Illinois, to George William and Lola (Guyton) Dean. On September 16, 1947, in Decatur, he married Freda E. (Carter) Dean and she survives.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 6, 2000 at the First Baptist Church in McLeansboro. Rev. John Denham officiated. Burial was in IOOF Cemetery in McLeansboro.
Graveside Military Rites were performed by the American Legion Post No. 106 of McLeansboro.
Rev. Dean is survived by one son, Thomas E. Dean and wife Jeannie of Dewitt, Iowa; one daughter, Mrs. Judy Wright and husband Kevin of Sesser, Illinois; five grandchildren, Katie, Melissa, and Matthew Dean, and Christopher and Jonathan Wright; one sister, Mrs. Mickey Machino and husband Hayden of Panama City, Florida.
Rev. Dean was a U. S. Navy Veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict.
He was also a member and officer of the Hamilton County Ministerial Alliance, a member of the Rotary Club in Crossville and McLeansboro and he served as president from 1990-91, 1996-1997; and a member of the First Baptist Church of McLeansboro.
In October 1955 he was ordained a Southern Baptist minister at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur, Illinois.
He served and pastored Baptist churches in Cisco, LaSalle/Peru, Vandalia, Sandwich, Maryville, and Crossville, Illinois.
He served as Director of Missions of the Fairfield Baptist Association (Now Gholsen Trail) in McLeansboro, Illinois for 15 years, retiring in December 1995.
He was preceded in death by his parents, infant twin sons, two brothers, two sisters and a half brother and a half sister.
Funeral arrangements were made by Gholson Funeral Home of McLeansboro.