Lester J. Stein

Lester J. Stein, 94, formerly of New Philadelphia, died Monday morning, August 15, 2005, at New Dawn Retirement Community of Dover.Born June 5, 1911 in Bucks Township, Tuscarawas County, he was the son of the late John T. and Katherina Thomas Stein.Lester was an active member of Jerusalem Church in New Philadelphia where he served as a deacon, an elder, and a Sunday School teacher. He was baptized and confirmed at Renner’s St. Paul United Church of Christ in Fresno, Ohio.His education began at Town Quarter School and was completed at Pleasant Hill High School in Bucks Township. As a youth, he worked on the family farm and then was employed at the Baltic Brick plant. Later in life, he owned and operated L. J. Stein Construction and retired from Babcock-Wilcox in Canton in 1976.On October 10, 1936, Lester married his late wife, the former Dorothy M. Espenschied, who preceded him in death on May 20, 2000.Lester is survived by 5 grandchildren, Brenda Dinh, William Green, Beverly Bermejo, Johanna Nguyen, and Larry Caughman and 10 great-grandchildren, all of Gainesville, Georgia; sister-in-laws, Betty J. Shumaker and Kathryn Stein, both of Dover; a brother-in-law, Paul J. (Audrey) Espenschied of New Philadelphia; many cherished and beloved nieces and nephews; and his wonderful caregivers and friends at New Dawn Health Care Center where he had been a resident for the past 3 years.In addition to his wife, Lester was preceded in death by two daughters, Shirley Jean Martin and Dorothy Jayne Zehnder; two infant sons, Larry Dale and William John; five brothers, William, Harry, Clarence, Ervin, and Robert; and two infant sisters, Mable and Alverna.Visitation will be held in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia on Sunday, August 21, 2005 from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held in Jerusalem Church on Monday, August 22 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev.Wayne Wheeler officiating. Burial alongside his wife will immediately follow in Jerusalem Church Cemetery. Friends and family are invited to the church following the committal where a luncheon will be served by Lester’s church family.The family requests memorial contributions be made to either Hospice of Tuscarawas County, 201 W. 3rd St., Dover, OH 44622 or Jerusalem Church, 1417 Stonecreek Rd., New Philadelphia, OH 44663.