Lester Mitchell, 93, of Perry passed away Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, at the Rowley Masonic Community in Perry, Iowa.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 3 at 10 a.m. at the Perry Bible Church in Perry. Visitation will be Friday, Nov. 2 from 5-7 p.m. at the Carris Family Funeral Home and Cremation Care in Perry. Burial will be at the Violet Hill Cemetery in Perry.
Memorials will be given to the Dallas County Freedom Rock or the Perry Bible Church and may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent at www.carrisfuneralhome.com.
Lester Loren Mitchell was born March 18, 1925, in Bouton, Iowa, to C. P. “Bill” and Myrtle (Pennington) Mitchell.
He attended country school near Minburn.
Lester started farming with his great-uncle Dale as a teenager, and there he learned to love the land. He was always a good steward of the land and loved taking care of his livestock. A weed didn’t have a snowball’s chance on Lester’s watch.
During World War II, he served on the USS Iowa, attaining the rank of Seaman First Class.
He was united in marriage to Athene Hay at the United Methodist Church in Perry Nov. 29, 1945.
Lester was a member of the Perry Bible Church, the Minburn American Legion, National Farmers Organization and Farm Bureau.
He enjoyed camping and blue grass festivals.
For 22 years Lester and Athene wintered in Arizona.
In death he rejoins his wife, Athene Mitchell; parents, C. P. “Bill” and Myrtle Mitchell; and a brother-in-law, Lowell Lang.
Left to cherish Lester’s memory are his children, Rodney (Rena) Mitchell of Spring, Texas, Denise (Larry) Cornelison of Waukee and Randy (Denise) Mitchell of Boone; grandchildren, Ray (Breta) Cornelison of Adel, Alicia Kennedy of Waukee, Leah (Aaron) Larson of West Des Moines, Greg Mitchell of Grimes, Adam Mitchell of Adel, Gina Mitchell of Spring, Texas, Eric (Sarah) Mitchell of Parker, Colo., and Doug (Angie) Mitchell of Everly, Iowa; 11 great-grandchildren; and siblings, Rev. Darrell (Eileen) Mitchell of Marshalltown and Lorna Lang of Overland Park, Kan.
