Lester Dusek

Lester William Dusek, 87, died at St. Cloud VA Health Care System in Minnesota, on December 24, 2019. Lester was born on a small farm north of Bremen, ND, to Theophil and Nellie (Haladej) Dusek on March 30, 1932. He was the youngest of six children. He started his education in a one room, eight grade, country school (Valhalla School #3) and finished eighth grade at St. Mary’s in Fargo, ND. He graduated as an honor student in a class of 50 from Sacred Heart Academy, Fargo, in 1950. Lester was gifted intellectually with an IQ of 130. He was trained as a stenographer and was an honor graduate of the Adjutant General's School, United States Army, Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana. He attended Dakota Business College and majored in social studies at North Dakota Agriculture College (now called the North Dakota State University) for two years. Starting as a janitor to pay for his tuition at Sacred Heart Academy, Lester had a wide range of jobs in his life. He worked for the US Post Office, was a ticket agent for Greyhound Bus Lines and a warehouseman at Smith, Follett, & Crowl. He was a sales representative for American Republic Insurance and even worked at the Fargo Internal Revenue Service for a month. Lester liked part time work with R. L. Polk and Co. and Gardner Hotel and also worked as a cab driver. Lester enlisted in the regular army and served from 1952 to 1955. He was in Japan during the Korean Conflict where he was a clerk typist, secretary and court reporter and supervised Japanese women in a typing pool in Yokohama, Japan. Lester was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and was cleared to handle secret information. A few years after returning from military service Lester became disabled and unable to continue his college education or work. He spent a great deal of his time in veteran hospitals and later in board and care facilities. Lester was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a member of the Disabled American Veterans and American Legion. He was active in the Eagles, Moose Lodge, Elks Lodge and the Independent Order of Foresters. He also belonged to a singles group. Though he said he almost married three times, Lester never married. He liked to travel and saw most of the United States and a lot of Japan. His favorite pastime was to watch educational TV such as the History Channel. He liked musical entertainment and was a good dancer. Lester is survived by his three sisters –Virginia Robertsdahl, Georgia Grinaker, and Stella Baumler, all of Fargo, ND. He is also survived by nieces and nephews – Gary (Rhonda) Grinaker, Betty (Bryon) Thom, Diane (Bill Evans) Gasal, Mary Baumler, Sharon Baumler, Jon (Lisa) Baumler, and Rick (Elizabeth) Baumler and several great-nieces and nephews. Lester is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Walter Dusek and Wencil Dusek, brothers-in-law Lawrence Baumler, Gordon Grinaker and Raymond Robertsdahl, and nephew Dennis Grinaker.