Lester Littrel

Lester H. Littrel, 88, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa and formerly of LeClaire, Iowa died on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at the Iowa Masonic Health Facility in Bettendorf.

His funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, October 1, 2011 at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Chapel in Bettendorf.  He will be laid to rest at Glendale Cemetery in LeClaire.  Visitation will be from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Friday at the funeral home where a Masonic service will be conducted at 7:00 P.M.  Memorials may be made to Asbury United Methodist Church of Bettendorf.

He was born on February 26, 1923 in Iowa City, Iowa and spent his early years in Riverside, Iowa.  On July 12, 1945, he was united in marriage to Alberta E. Mess at Zion Lutheran Church in Princeton, Iowa.

Lester was employed at various jobs during his life including a transport truck driver for Sanitary Dairies and finally retired from his truck driving position at Continental Bakery of Davenport following an accident in 1986.

He owned & operated two full service family stations, LeClaire Standard of LeClaire and the Spruce Hills Mobile of Bettendorf.  Lester owned Porta Service, one of the first road-side service businesses in the area and a wrecker service.  He later worked as a service manager for East Moline Volkswagen and Moline Auto Sales.

He also worked in his son’s snow removal business along with his auction company, G.A.L. Auction Service.  In later years, Lester & his wife ran the lunch stand during auctions and watch over the valuable coins & antique toys.

Lester was a former member of the LeClaire City Council and had also served on the LeClaire Volunteer Ambulance Service.

He was very active in various capacities of both the Odd Fellows Lodge and the Masonic Lodge.  Les’s memberships included Pilot Lodge #38, Snow Lodge #44 of LeClaire, the Silver Creek Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and Stewart Lodge #92 of the I.O.O.F. where he served in all chairs.  He also was a Past Grand Master and Chaplain of the I.O.O.F. Grand Lodge of Iowa.  In addition, he was a member of the Golden Anniversary Club and the Teamsters Retirees Local 371.  Over the years, Les enjoyed collecting J.I. Case toy tractors, enjoyed bowling and playing golf with his friends.

Those left to honor his memory include his beloved wife of sixty-six years, Alberta; his son & daughter-in-law, Gary & Alinda Littrel of Bettendorf; his grandchildren, Shellie (Darius) Sturmer of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, Brian (Missy) Littrel of Lithia, Florida, Matt Littrel of Bettendorf and Bridgette Littrel of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania & her fiancé, Richard Washington; his great-grandchildren, Joshua & Alexander Littrel of Lithia, Florida; and his half-sisters, Dorothy Stumpf of Kalona, Iowa and Rose Rhodes of Davenport, Iowa.

Les was preceded in death by his son, Terry L. Littrel of St. Petersburg Beach, Florida who passed away in January of 1997; his grandson, Scott Littrel who passed away in February of 1998; and his half-brother Vernon Wilfong in March of 2011.

Condolences may be expressed to the family by viewing Lester’s obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com .