LESTER PRAIRIE -- Lester H. "Butch" Plath, 67. of Lester Prairie died Thursday at his home.
The service will be at 1 p.m. today at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waconia. Burial is at the church cemetery.
Visitation is for one hour prior to the service at the church.
Arrangements are with Johnson Funeral Home of Waconia.
Lester was born on April 5, 1943, in Mountain Lake, Cottonwood County, the son of Louis H. and Hertha E. (Neuman) Plath.
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Lester was baptized on April 25, 1943, at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mountain Lake by the Rev. Martin G. Kirsch and confirmed on April 14, 1957, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mountain Lake by the Rev. Reuben L. Ehlen.
On Oct. 13, 1962, Lester was united in marriage to LaNola Westman at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mountain Lake by the Rev. Wilmer A. Schultz.
Lester worked at the Tony Downs Food Co. in St. James from 1959 to 1962. In 1962 he worked on a farm for Bernie Hockel. In 1965 he went to work for Land O' Lakes and also did carpentry work and had a tree service business. In 1975 he went to work for the Cottonwood County Highway Department until 1980, when he worked for the city of Mountain Lake as street superintendent and later public works director. In 1989 they moved to Waconia, and then to St. Bonifacius. He was the public works foreman for the city of Excelsior. In 1995 he became the superintendent of public works.
While in Mountain Lake, he was a member of the Mountain Lake Fire Department for 14 years. He was the assistant fire chief for five years and fire chief for two years. He was also a state certified fire instructor. Lester was one of the founders of the Mountain Lake Sportsmen's Club, a member for 5 years and served as president for 1 year. He was also an instructor for Firearm Safety.
He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Mountain Lake and then a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Waconia.
Lester was active in and enjoyed playing softball, hunting and fishing, and being with his grandchildren and watching them play in sports.
Lester is survived by his loving family; wife, LaNola; daughters and sons-in-law, Sherri of Circle Pines, Lisa (Tim Bailey) of Lake Lillian, Brenda (Greg Meyer) of Winthrop, Kimberly of Lester Prairie; grandchildren, Steven and Jill, Christie, Brittney and Tyler, Meghan and Brianna, Chae'le and Ciera; great-grandchildren, Tavia and Tiana; brothers and sisters-in-law, Robert and Janet Plath of St. James, Alfred Plath of St. James; sister and brother-in-law, Irene and Gil Hoehn of St. Peter; step-brothers and spouses, Larry and Ginette May of Madesto, Calif., Steve and Sandra May of Sacramento, Calif.; step-sister and husband, Gwen and Paul Sepcenko of Underwood, Iowa; step-father-in-law and wife, Arnold and Dorothy Karschnik of Mountain Lake; sisters-in-law, Joyce Stark of St. James, Carol Westman of Butterfield; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Lester was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Hertha (May) Plath; step-father, Taft "Pat" May; sister, Dorothy Plath; sister-in-law, Mary Plath; brother-in-law, Larry Miller; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Franklin Westman and Mable Karschnik; and sister-in-law and brothers-in-law, Nancy and Bernie Nordby, Martin "Buzz" Westman.
