Laverne Lester Hanson 'joined his wife of 56 years in heaven,' on his 81st birthday, Dec. 30, 2005.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, at Summers Funeral Homes, Ustick Chapel, in Meridian, Idaho, followed by a military service at the Meridian Cemetery.

Lester was born in Arnegard, N.D., on Dec. 30, 1924. He was one of four children of Alver and Delila. Lester was raised in western North Dakota and eastern Montana.

In 1942, he joined the U.S. Navy and served through World War II. He served on three different Naval destroyers and received several medals. Upon his return to the States, he reunited with and married his childhood sweetheart, Mabel Dufloth, in Whitefish on July 18, 1946.

They had two daughters whom they raised in Kalispell while Lester worked for the Pacific Power and Light Co., in the telephone division. In 1976, they moved to Havre, where he worked for the Triangle Telephone Co. Upon retiring, they moved back to Kalispell, where they lived for several years until moving to Meridian to be closer to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Lester was one of those people who enjoyed life to the fullest, right up until the time of his death. He was always smiling and laughing and loved to entertain all guests in his home. 'Heaven will be gaining one amazing host.'

Lester loved the outdoors and both he and Mabel enjoyed many years of traveling, fishing and camping. They also thoroughly enjoyed square dancing and belonged to a traveling square-dance club that traveled the Northwest and up into Canada.

Upon retirement, they enjoyed being snowbirds, spending the cold weather with their motor home down South.

Lester loved his family dearly, and spent as much time as possible with his daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enriched all of their lives with his love, strength and ever-caring presence.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Mabel; both his parents; and his sisters and brother.

He is survived by his daughter, Caren Hanson, and his daughter and son-in-law, Colleen and Hal DeGrange; his grandchildren, Sharie Wheat, Misty Blake, and Nicholas DeGrange; great-grandchildren, Dennin and Brooklynn Wheat, all of Meridian, Idaho; and numerous nieces and nephews.