John Robert Lester

Major General John Robert Lester, affectionately called "Johnny Bob" by many of his childhood friends, grew up in Florence, SC. He was a son of Polly Woodall Lester and the late Lonnie H. Lester. John earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964 and a Juris Doctor degree in 1967, both from the University of South Carolina. He was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Court of South Carolina, Supreme Court of South Carolina, and the Military Court of Appeals. John volunteered to serve in Vietnam. He spent four years on active duty as a legal officer in the United States Air Force, with assignments at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida; Phang Rang Air Force Base, Republic of Vietnam; and Athena Air Force Base, Greece. He served 16 years in the Air Force Reserve with assignments and duties at Shaw Air Force Base; Ninth Air Force; Tactical Air Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Air Reserve Personnel Center; and the Pentagon. He is a retired Colonel from the United States Air Force Reserves. He has been honored with the following decorations and awards: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Air Force Training Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Device, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, South Carolina Military Department Meritorious Service Medal, South Carolina Merit Ribbon, South Carolina Achievement Ribbon, and South Carolina Service Ribbon. John served as Commander of the Joint Services Detachment, South Carolina Military Department, and retired with the rank of Major General. He was the inaugural recipient of "The Gadsden Award" - the highest honor that can be bestowed by the Joint Services Department. John served on the Advisory Board for the South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy and on the South Carolina Military History Foundation. He was the key note military speaker at numerous Memorial Day and Fourth of July events. Starting in September 2005, John practiced real estate law at the firm of Lester & Lester, P.A. in Myrtle Beach, with his brother, Dicke Lester. From 1971 until his move to Myrtle Beach, John practiced in Columbia, opening his own law firm in 1976, where he represented debtors in over 10,000 bankruptcy cases. John was a seminar speaker for the Association of Bankruptcy Lawyers, South Carolina League of Savings Institutions, and the South Carolina Bar. He was an approved attorney for Chicago Title Insurance Company and North American Title Insurance Company SC. John Lester received both the Billy Robinson Public Service Award and the South Carolina Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year award. John served as Chairman of the Board of his church; President of a United Way; vice-president of a community theater; board member of the State Trial Lawyers Association; founding member of the Military Law Section and member of the Memory Hold the Door committee of the South Carolina Bar; vice-president for the Air Force local Reserve Officers Association; president of the South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association; and City Judge. The Governor of South Carolina awarded John the State's highest community service honor, the Order of the Silver Crest. He had a commercial pilot's license, was a certified SCUBA diver, held a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, served as a judge and referee for amateur boxing, won numerous awards at the South Carolina State Fair for his wines and later served as chief wine judge, was Chair and past President of SWAG (the local chapter of the American Wine Society), and was a certified barbecue judge. John was a member and Ambassador of the Chaine Des Rotisseurs des Etats-Unis. He served as an assistant teacher at Bob Forde's weekly wine classes. John became a faithful attendee at "Sonny's Pavillion Reunions" - a gathering of people who worked or played at Ocean Drive and Cherry Grove beaches in the fifties and sixties. He was an avid Gamecock fan all his life. John and his wife were founding members of the "Cork Pullers" - a close knit band of amazing friends that traveled the world together, visiting the greatest wine regions. The other core members of the Cork Pullers are Richard and Dot Reich; James Lockemy and Ginger Manning; Flo and Jay Vinson; Carl Schwartzkoptf and Anita Moran, Shipp Daniel; and Hunter Huss. Prior to the Cork Pullers' trips, his life was enriched by his friendship and journeys with Mark and Debbie Long. John enjoyed many enduring friendships. His three law school roommates, Chuck Simons of Aiken, Carl Hendricks of Beaufort, and Earle Prevost of Greenville, remained life-long friends. Ernie Trubiano, Mike Edge, and John were all members of the Gamma Nu Chapter of Sigma Chi. These very close friends, who were born within days of one another, celebrated many birthdays and Christmases together. John and his close friend, Jack Thompson, shared each other's innermost secrets. His constant, true, and loyal friend, Dimitris "Jimmy" Valsamides, lives in Greece. They became friends when John was stationed in Greece with the Air Force. John was the Chief of Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction, which required him to attend any trial in Greece where a U.S. citizen was a party. The NATO agreement that was signed by Papadopoulos, then dictator of Greece, afforded all Americans the same constitutional rights while in Greece as that person would have in the United States. John's role was to ensure that this occurred. Jimmy Valsamides was John's interpreter. Even though they spent most of their life an ocean apart, their friendship grew closer with the passing of time. When John got his Greek wine import license, Jimmy helped him make contact with Greek wine exporters. John was able to return to his beloved Greece and visit with Jimmy one last time in March 2016. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, the former Jane Brown Mellette of Myrtle Beach, SC;his daughter, Lydia Mellette Lester of Charleston, SC, a summa cum laude University of Arizona graduate, with a Master's Degree in Bilingual Legal Interpreting from the College of Charleston, who served in the Peace Corps in Paraguay, South America; son, John Robert Lester III, of Columbia, SC, a Citadel graduate, Civil Engineer with Central Electric Power Cooperatives in Columbia, SC, and an officer in the Army National Guard who has served in Afghanistan; mother, Polly Lester of Florence, SC; brothers, Ken (Nell) Lester of Columbia, SC, Dicke (Jennifer) Lester of Myrtle Beach, SC; Lon (Laura) Lester of Bennettsville, SC, and sister, Flo (Jay) Vinson of Florence, SC. John had a wonderful life filled with great family, great friends, and great adventures. He died secure in his spiritual belief and wellbeing. John's unquenchable enthusiasm, unwavering optimism, and selfless spirit will be deeply missed by his many friends and family. Visitation with the family will be from 10:00 am – 11:30 am on Friday, May 13, 2016, in the Family Life Center at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Florence, SC.Funeral service will be held at 11:30 am on Friday at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Burial will follow the service at Florence National Cemetery at 1:00 pm directed by Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home. The family requests memorial contributions be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1629 West Palmetto Street, Florence, SC 29501 or to a Scholarship in the name of John Robert Lester which has been established in his honor.The John Robert Lester USC Scholarship will be awarded each year to an early college high school graduate that will be attending the University of South Carolina.If you would like to contribute to this scholarship you may do so by sending a check to Marsha W. Griffin, Horry County K-12 Foundation, 5001 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC.Please make checks payable to Horry County K-12 Foundation and make John Robert Lester USC the notation in the memo box.This Foundation is a 501 C 3 and is registered with the State of South Carolina.You will receive a receipt for tax deduction.If you have questions please call Marsha W. Griffin, Foundation Director at 843 457-8774 or contact Richard Lester, John’s brother and Foundation Chair, 843-449-4491. Please sign the tribute wall for Mr. Lester at www.stoudenmiredowling.com.