Lester Odell Dennis, Son, Husband, Father, Brother, Uncle, Pawpaw
Survivors:
Wife of 51 Years: Gwayne (Sissie)
Daughters: Becky – (Willie), and Cindy – (Mike)
Sons: Jerry – (Tonja), Glenn, and Don – (Diane)
Lester was also a father figure, along with his late brother Bo, to Chris and Calvin, and grandfather figure to Kristyn.
Grandchildren: Heather, Courtney, and Ashley; Shelby and Stephanie; Leslie and Lindsey; Sara, Matt, and Daniel
Great Grandchildren: C.J., Carley, Chase, and Caleb; Rylee and Allie; Isaac and Ryder
Sisters: Nezzie & Addie Mae,
Sister-in-Laws: Ginger & Deanie Ruth,
Brother-in-Law: Jimmy (Doody)
Along with many nieces and nephews
Preceeded in Death: Mother, Maella Holifield; Brothers, James (Buddy) Henson, and Bo Holifield; Sister, Mavis (Sis) Colburn
Lester started his life in the Mississippi cotton fields, and joined the Marine Corps at the age of 17, to help support his mother and siblings, and became a Marine Aircraft Mechanic. After four years of military service, he went into the construction industry as a welder and later joined I.U.O.E. Local 450 Operating Engineers as a Union Heavy Equipment Operator. He worked for various contractors such as W.D. Haden, Miner-Dederick, Bellows Construction, and other signed contractors out of LU 450. He worked in the field until he was chosen by the Local to be a Business Agent, representing Local 450 members in the field. He was one of many great men that helped build much of Greenway Plaza during the oil boom of the 70's. He was a big part in organizing, negotiate and bring solutions over labor and management differences. Lester was very well respected by both labor and management. He retired in 1986 and remained an active union member, for 47 years, until his recent death.
Lester was a kind, amazing family man who always put other’s needs in front of his own. He bravely fought a valiant five year battle with cancer, was greatly loved, and will be deeply missed by all.
The family would like to thank Dr. Douglas Nelson, Candy Halpern, Dr. Frederick Njuki, Dr. Santiago Segurola, Dr. Vipul De Sai, Dr. Amarbir Mattewal, Dr. Timothy Chen, and all of the other physicians and amazing nurses at the St. Luke’s/M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital.
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Tributes
Leave a tributeKathy
Love,
Leslie
Kathy
From your Vitas Family
Leave a Tribute
Our 53rd. anniversary
We vowed 53 years ago "Til death do us part" but it doesn't stop there. Our love for each other is beyond life. I think of you every day and pray for you every night. I miss you so much it sometimes becomes unbearable. People may see me laugh and think I'm O.K. but that's far from the truth. I just put one foot in front of the other and keep on going. I see you visiting me almost every day from spring to winter in the form of a beautiful red bird and sometimes Bo comes with you. Don;'t be mad but I've been feeding the squirrels! The same two come every day for pecans and they are adorable. I know. I know. They are just rats !! Leslie says "Poppy would be so mad at you". But I can't resist. Lucy even knows her name and she'll take the pecan off my toe. You've gained two more friends, Sonny and Chris. I miss their phone calls. After you passed away, they both called me every week! Now they are with you. I can't tell you how deep the hole is in my heart since you've gone. It's something I will never get over and there is nothing to fill the void. I'll love you to the end of the earth, and with Trump in office, that may be sooner than we think.(couldn't resist). Love you and miss you, Babe.
My Father-In-Law
Lester "Pawpaw",
You were a kind, loving, generous man who always put your family's needs before your own. When the kids were little, you ruled your world with "the look".
You've been like a second father to me since I was sixteen years old, and I was lucky enough to get to call you father-in-law for the past twenty-four and a half years.
Our hearts have been broken, our worlds have been fractured, and our lives will never be the same without you; however, you will always live on in our minds and through the stories we tell. The weekend adventures to the lake will forever be changed, and our weekend card games will be one man down, but we know you will be watching over us always.
We all love and miss you more than words can ever say.
Until we meet again...
Love your daughter-in-law,
Tonja
My brother, my best friend, my support. Always there always caring. Never waiting for me to ask, just giving. My first memory is of you crying because my dad wouldn't buy us, me and Bo, any Christmas. Not for yourself. I was 4 so you would have been 13. Not caring about yourself only your little brother and sister. That exemplified your life always caring about others. You sent your money home to help mom raise me and Bo and lived your whole life taking care of mama and us. You never failed us once. Helped me raise my boys. Teaching them to be the men they are today. My brother, my hero. I will always love you and miss you. Save me a place next to mama and Bo I'm coming home.