Lester Cleary, Jr. of St. Johnsbury, passed away Friday, Sept. 16, 2011 at
the age of 71. He had suffered a massive stroke in June of this year.
Lester was born in St. Johnsbury on April 1, 1940, one of two children born
to Lester Sr. and Agnes (LeBlanc) Cleary. On Sept. 5, 1964 he and Jean
Blodgett of St. Johnsbury were married.
Lester graduated from St. Johnsbury Trade School in 1959. He spent his
entire working career, 41 years, working at Tap and Die in Lyndonville.
Many will remember that he also cared for lawns and did handiwork for area seniors.
Lester was a parishioner of St. John the Evangelist Church in St.
Johnsbury, now part of the Corpus Christi Parish. He was a devoted knight
with the Sheridan Chapter #421 and attained the status of the fourth
degree. He very much enjoyed his time spent as a chief organizer of the
Saturday night bingo at the Fr. Joseph A. Lively Center.
He is survived by his wife Jean; his son, Lester G. Cleary III and wife Laurie
of St. Johnsbury; his daughter, Lori Gray and husband Michael of
Waterford; two grandchildren, Michael S. Gray, Jr. studying at VTC;
Kimberly Krutke stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Kimberly's husband
Anthony stationed in Japan; a great-grandson, Benjamin Michael Krutke;
his sister, Ann Martin, now of Rochester N.Y.; one niece, Linda Newman of
Pittsford; and her two children, Charlie and Robbie.
He was predeceased by his brother-in-law, Donald Martin of St. Johnsbury,
and by a nephew, Paul Martin, who lived in Rochester N.Y. His mother
Aggie lived downstairs while they lived on the corner of Emerson and Union
streets in St. Johnsbury. She passed away in 2000. His father died at a young age in 1971.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. at St.
John the Evangelist Church. Burial will follow at the Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home Tuesday evening from 6-8
p.m. The Knights will organize for the rosary beginning at 7:45 p.m.
Memorial contributions could be made to the Good Shepherd Foundation,
PO Box 146, St .Johnsbury VT 05819.
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