Monsignor J. William Lester of the Fort Wayne-South Bend Roman Catholic Diocese died Saturday at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne. He was 90.
Lester was remembered as an outgoing, wise and much-beloved priest who served the church as much in retirement as he had in his younger years.
"He was just a wonderful guy," said Monsignor Robert C. Schulte, who succeeded Lester as rector of Fort Wayne's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in 2000, after Lester had helped oversee its restoration during the previous decade. "He was always energetic and lively – that's the way people always described him. He was always upbeat and positive and had a good sense of humor."
Lester was the principal of Central Catholic High School from 1951 to 1960. He also was principal of Huntington Catholic High School beginning in 1947 and was superintendent of the diocese's schools beginning in 1960.
Between 1960 and 1962, Lester played a role in helping shepherd Cuban boys to Fort Wayne after Cuba's Communist takeover. An estimated 14,000 children were spirited out of Cuba during Operacion Pedro Pan, with 40 of them coming to Fort Wayne to live at the former St. Vincent's Villa on North Wells Street. Lester was their chaplain.
During a reunion last year in Fort Wayne, several of the Peter Pans, as they call themselves, recalled that Lester got them situated in high school, got them jobs, disciplined them when necessary and personally helped resettle family members.
Two of the boys became priests, and one, the Rev. Felipe Estevez, is now auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Miami. Diocesan officials said he plans to fly in for Lester's funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Thursday at the cathedral.
The Mass will be officiated by diocesan Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades. Calling hours will be 4:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the cathedral, with a vigil service at 7 p.m.
D'Arcy, who will give the homily at the funeral, called Lester's role in Operacion Pedro Pan extraordinary, but a sign of his "generous heart."
"He not only welcomed the Cuban boys," D'Arcy said. "He was their father."
Retired Bishop John D'Arcy called Lester "one of the most extraordinary priests, or people, I have ever met."
Scarcely a major decision, from building a school to naming a principal or priest, was concluded without Lester's advice, D'Arcy said.
"For years, he was the one I'd send to parishes when a parish was in difficulty – a priest had died, or a priest had left or a priest had been accused," D'Arcy said. "And the people knew when Monsignor Msgr. Lester was sent, the best had been sent."
A native of Gary, Lester went to St. Lawrence Seminary and St. Lawrence College in Mount Calvert, Wis., and graduated with a bachelor's and a master's degree from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He was ordained by Bishop John F. Noll in 1945.
Lester was named pastor of St. Jude Catholic Church in Fort Wayne in 1970 and of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Elkhart in 1972. He began taking temporary administrator roles in 1989, serving 16 parishes.
Lester was instrumental in the building of Bishop Luers and Bishop Dwenger high schools, and was a lifelong fan of their sports teams, often showing up at football or basketball games wearing a cap featuring school or Chicago White Sox or Chicago Bears insignia.
D'Arcy said he doesn't know why Lester never became a bishop himself.
"I really loved him. You know, his clock was always at high noon. He was always joyful," he said.
"He was a blessing, and I will miss him very much."
Obituary
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