KINGSBURY – Lester Viele, Jr., 88, of Kingsbury, passed away on Sunday, May 17, 2015, at the Haynes House of Hope in the town of Granville, after a courageous battle with cancer.
He is now reunited with his wife of 32 years.
Born on December 21, 1926, in Glens Falls, he was the son of the late Lester and Eliza (Rino) Viele. Lester served in the United States Navy as a Seabee during World War II and Korea War.
He worked for the General Electric Company for 34 years and was a member of the carpenters union. After retirement he worked with his step-son Joe Sullivan, refinishing hardwood floors. He enjoyed working in his shop making furniture and toys and memoires for family and friends.
Lester enjoyed long motorcycle rides, camping, hunting and fishing on Lake George with his family and friends, watching John Wayne movies, the New York Yankees and building and flying model airplanes with his brother Ernie and nephew Bryne. He was a member of the Barnstormer’s Club and enjoyed snowmobiling. He was a member of the South Glens Falls American legion Color Guard and a lifetime member of the Queensbury VFW. Lester enjoyed vacations to the New England Coast and took great joy in giving rides to his grandchildren on his John Deere tractor and his golf cart. In the past few years he grew especially close to his great grandchildren Olivia and Alex “Grasshopper”.
In addition to his parents he is predeceased by his wife, Colleen (Sullivan) Viele, his sons, Charles Viele and Craig Viele, a stepdaughter, Kelly Ann Sullivan, a son-in-law Noel Barber; and his six siblings.
Survivors include his children, Connie Miller and her husband, Jeff and Cindy Viele and her husband, Jeff Kendzierski; a daughter in law, Cathy Viele; his step-children, Dawn Pugh and her husband, Calvin, Kris Barber, Lois Sullivan, Colleen Spaulding and her husband, Kenny, Joseph Sullivan and his fiancé, Kelly Carpenter and Thomas Sullivan and his wife Christine; his brother, Ernie Viele, his grandchildren, Scott Beckwith, Chipper Viele, Christina Kelsey and her husband, Shannon, Jeremy Viele and his wife, Anita, Genevieve Viele, Tim Woodard, Jamie Knight, Jason Knight, Jolene Cronin and her husband, Josh, Elizabeth Sullivan, Dennis Sullivan and Michael Sullivan; his great grandchildren; his former wife, Shirley Tucker, whom he lived with for 30 years with his children, in a house that he built in Queensbury; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
In keeping with Lester’s wishes, there are no calling hours.
A graveside service with military honors provided by American legion Post 574 of Hudson Falls will take place on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Kingsbury Cemetery located in the Hamlet of Kingsbury.
His family would like to thank High Peaks Hospice and the staff at Haynes House of Hope in Granville for their love and support in Lester’s final days.
In lieu of flowers, Lester’s family requests memorial donations be made to Haynes House of Hope, 7187 State Rte 149, Granville, NY 12832 or High Peaks Hospice, 79 Glenwood Ave., Queensbury, NY 12804.
Online condolences may be by visiting www.carletonfuneralhome.net
I will miss so many things about you Uncle Junie. I miss my many visits to go see you at the nursing homes. You always cheered me up and made me feel special when I came to visit you and I saw yours eyes grow big with excitement and you had a smile on your face when I entered the room.We shared many laughs together and your stories of when you served in the Navy.I will always cheerish these times and Im so proud to call you my uncle and I will always look upto you as someone who I always admired.
I pray that your at peace now and have no more pain and suffering.LOVE, YOUR NEPHEW BRYNE
My thoughts and prayers are with the Sullivan and Viele family at this difficult time. Rest in Peace Lester.