Lester Shogren
Lester Shogren
We are rejoicing that Lester Clair Shogren is now in heaven singing with his Lord and Savior.
There will be a memorial service Saturday, October 31st at Center Baptist Church in Lansing. Friends may visit beginning at 10 a.m., with the service following at 11 a.m., and lunch at the church afterward. Interment will be in the Center Baptist Cemetery.
Lester was born June 26, 1933 to Clarence and Lillian Shogren, in Waukon, Iowa. He graduated from Waukon High School in 1951, and served in the US Army during the Korean War from 1953 to 1955.
Lester married June Godfrey on April 1, 1963 in Iowa City. He worked for Western Electric for thirteen years, during which time the family moved frequently. They settled in Allamakee County to farm from 1973 until 1987. Lester also worked for the Telephone Company, Dee Implement, Bituma Corporation, and Systems Equipment Corp.
He enjoyed singing throughout his life. He sang many duets with his wife and with his sister Clarice. He participated in church choirs and cantatas, and was a member of the Barbershoppers of America, singing with the groups from Waukon and Elkader for many years.
Lester was active in churches his whole life. He loved going to youth camps, sports weekends, and taking a carload of kids with him. He served in many capacities, from Sunday school teaching, Sunday school superintendent, Vice Chairman, and Deacon at Center Baptist Church. He was an AWANA leader at First Baptist of Waukon and at First Baptist in Elgin, and also helped the pastors with visiting people. He enjoyed bringing a live Christmas tree into the church at Christmas time.
In later years, Lester enjoyed reading and read the whole Left Behind series. He was always an inventor of new ways to do things, drawing ideas out on paper and building some of them in the house that he and Erik built in Clermont, Iowa.
He is survived by his wife June of 57 years, Leslie (Kevin) Friesen of Farmington Hills, MI; Nicole (Tom) Schaer of Duluth, MN; Trisha (Lee) Porter of Jackson, MN; and Erik Shogren of West Union, IA; 15 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; sister Joyce Staton; sister-in-law Janice Shogren; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Clarice, and his brother Vernon.
Pallbearers will be Lester’s grandsons.
Memorials may be given to YWAM, SEND International, Pro-Life Ministries of Duluth, and New Hope FOR Families.