Artist/Graphic Designer, Lester Leroy Amen, (Les), age 60, formerly of Arlington, Va, died May 22, 2014 in Orange City, Florida, of pancreatic cancer, at the home of his brother. Les proudly served in the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Reserve, reaching the rank of Gunnery Seargent.He was an accomplished artist and graphic designer/proposal artist for many years and was most recently employed by Verizon, in Ashburn, VA.

Les was born April 18, 1954 in Omaha, NE and lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He graduated from Lancaster High School in Lancaster, TX in 1973. After enlisting in the Marine Corps in San Diego in 1974, he was stationed in the Phillipines, Andrews Air Force Base and Quantico Marine Base in Quantico, VA. He was assigned to various Fleet Marine Units across the globe and recorded his impressions with pencil, paint and camera to promote the military. He was honored by the Commandant of the Marine Corps for his original art produced for Marine Corp. Magazine and some of his paintings can be viewed in the War Museam.

Les received an AAS Degree from NVCC in 1983 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Corcoran College of Art and Design in Wash. D.C. in 1988. He was the winner of the Lorna Sarnoff Award for sculpture while attending the Corcoran. 

Les is survived by his children, Anna Marie Amen of Stafford, VA; step-son Robert Andrew Gordon of St. Petersburg, Fl; daughters, Meryl June Amen of Stafford and Zoe Christina Amen of Port Richey, Fl; grandchildren, Ashana Nyree Amen; Chelsea Ann Collins and Jason De'Mon Amen; sister, Carolyn Blue of Council Bluffs, Iowa; brothers, Donald Hoover,  Tom Amen (Shelley Holden)  and Martin Amen (Theresa) of Florida. He is also survived by his former wives, Delia Baje Amen of Stafford and  Ann Elizabeth Hendrickson of Port Richey, Fl.