Keith C. Lester

Born and raised in Springfield, VT, Keith left the green mountains for Boston to attend Northeastern University. He was a brother of the Nu Epsilon Zeta Fraternity of which he remained active as an alumni advisor. Keith married his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Koledo, and lived in Massachusetts, Maine, and Fairfield before settling in Monroe in 1969. Keith was a financial analyst at Norden Systems and then Eaton Corporation towards the end of his career.

Keith was active in the Monroe Jaycees and served on the Monroe Town Council. He coached many seasons of various youth sports and was the president of Monroe Pop Warner football. He could also be found on autumn Saturdays in the WMNR radio booth calling Masuk High School football games. As his children left for college, Keith turned his attention towards mentoring underprivileged kids in Norwalk. Although Keith was a lover of all sports, his passion was skiing. He preferred a subzero blizzard to a sunny day at the beach and spent countless days of winter carving turns at Okemo Mountain. For twenty-three years, he, ”worked,” as a ski ambassador there. He was very proud of having taught his children and grandchildren how to love his sport of choice.

Keith was predeceased by his beloved wife, Phyllis K. Lester, and he is survived by his three children, Michael J. Lester and his wife, Karen, Melissa L. Whelahan and her husband, Dan, and Melanie L. Araya and her husband Rick. Also, his nine grandchildren, Megan Lester, Kelly Lester, Jack Lester, Ryan Whelahan, Heather Whelahan, Heidi Whelahan, Katia Araya, Grace Araya and Alice Araya. He is also survived by his brother, Timothy Lester, of Walpole, NH, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his mother, Thelma Beardsley Lester and his father, Clayton F. Lester, of Springfield, VT and his grandson, John S. Araya.

We will miss his compassion, kindness, sense of humor, smile, infectious laugh, and sincere love of life, family, friends, relatives, and mankind.

Calling hours will be Friday, November 29, 2019 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home, 315 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m., following the calling hours, at St. Stephen’s Roman Catholic Church, 6948 Main Street, Trumbull, CT.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, https://www.alzinfo.org/.