He then made the move from part-time to full-time National Guard service at the Plymouth armory, achieving the rank of staff sergeant before moving on to the Plymouth office of the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, retiring in 2010 because of illness.Lester loved playing and listening to bluegrass and gospel music. A multi-instrumentalist and singer, he performed for many years with the Blake Mountain Band and as a duo with his wife. A well-known square dance caller, he represented New Hampshire at the 1999 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. He was a member of the Pemi Valley Church in Woodstock, the Joseph Newton Smith American Legion Post 83 in Lincoln and a 50-plus year member of the West Thornton Grange 253, Thornton. He loved vintage tractors and collected Farmalls, and founded the annual I Love Old Tractors Show in Woodstock in 2003. A second-generation state representative, Lester was serving his second term in the New Hampshire Legislature at the time of his death.He is survived by his wife, Sharon; his daughter, Lynn and husband Richard Clogston of Warren; his son, Nathan Bradley and companion Annie Deppe of Thornton; a daughter-in-law, Cindy Bradley of Thornton; three brothers; one sister; multiple grandchildren, step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
. services: The Rev. John Muehlke Jr. will perform a memorial service at the Pemi Valley Church, Route 3, Woodstock, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m. followed by a gathering in the downstairs hall.Memorial contributions may be made to the Pemi Valley Church, P.O. Box 74, Woodstock 03293.The Fournier-Hale Funeral Home of North Woodstock will be handling arrangements. For more information, go to www.fournier-hale.com.
