Donald Lester

Beloved son of Bert Lester (Lester Cohen) and Rae Dworkin. Husband of Evelyn. Brother of Bertram. He is survived by his son Barrett, daughter-in-law Mary and grandson Isaac.

Donald was born in 1933 in New York City. He was a graduate of DeWitt Clinton High School and then served in the U.S. Army during the Korea War and left with an honorable discharge. Shortly after, he joined his father and brother in the family business, and he began his career at Lester Bags which was a ladies’ fine handbag store on Madison Avenue.

In 1961, Donald married Evelyn Mendelsohn, and they raised their son Barrett on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. After a successful retail career, Donald went into the real estate business. Donald had a passion for storytelling, classical and jazz music and the latest tech gadgets. He was known for his quick wit, love of a juicy steak, and he was a life-long New York Yankees fan. In his later years, he enjoyed having lunch with his son and grandson at the Three-Star Diner across from his apartment.

A graveside funeral service for Donald will be held on Sunday, December 18, 2022 at 1:30pm at Beth El Cemetery in Ridgewood, New York. May his memory always be a blessing.