Lester was born at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Pine Ridge, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, on April 18, 1922.
1 He was the son of
James J. Wilson II and
Julia C. Janis. Lester served in the military circa 1942. Les volunteered for service in the Navy for WWII following his graduation and was honorably discharged as a Second Class Petty Officer at the end of the war in 1945. He served as a Chef on PBY flying boats moving Naval Commanders about the Pacific. During that period of service he suffered near-fatal combat zone injuries and spent a lengthy period in medical rehabilitation..
1 He graduated from high school at Oglala Community High School, Pine Ridge, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, in 1942. School:.
1 He was a student at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Benton Co., Oregon, USA, after 1945. School: He attended Oregon State University on the GI Bill following his discharge where he received recognition as a possible All-American Fullback..
1 Lester's occupation: Les worked as a heavy equipment operator and supervisor in road building throughout the West with specialization in bridge building. He took a break to attend meatcutting school in Cleveland and worked for Safeway, Inc., in Denver for three years. He also served for two years as a policeman in Pine Ridge. In later years he worked as a Field Supervisor of road construction for the Navaho Nation where he helped build roads for the Navaho Irrigation Project, from which he retired, in Bloomfield, NM due to his health. After 1950.
1 Lester retired at Bloomfield, San Juan Co., New Mexico, USA, circa 1985.
1 Lester died on December 31, 1997 at Las Vegas, Clark Co., Nevada, USA, at age 75.