Obituary of Lester Harold Veach

Lester Harold Veach, 69 of Talladega, passed away December 11, 2016. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 am, Thursday, December 15, 2016 at Usrey Funeral Home in Talladega with burial in Pine Hill Memorial Park. His family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00 – 8:00 pm Wednesday. The Rev. Jeremy Williams will officiate. Mr.Veach is preceded in death by parents James and Imogene Mings Veach from Del City, Ok.; father-n-law, Rev. B. C. "Hoppy" Hawthorne, mother-n-law and author, Nora Blondell Smith Hawthorne, two sister-n-laws, Linda Faye Hawthorne and Dorothy Louise "Dottie" DeLapena. He is survived by his spouse, Betty Sue Hawthorne Veach and three children, B. Dewayne [Jana] Gunter from Talladega, AI., Richard L. [Stephanie] Gunter from Starke, FI., and Susan Renee[Gary} Petus from Talladega, AI.; Six grand- children, Kelsey Renea [Robert] Phillips, Kayla Marie [Justin] Taylor, Jessica [Robert “Trey"] Miller, Chasity Marie Gunter, Tyler Dewayne Gunter, and Taylor Elizabeth Gunter. Four great-grandchildren: Lane and Jase Phillips, Wesley Taylor, and Cole Miller. His brother, Charles Wesley [Sue] Veach; one niece, Sara [Brent] Bennett, one nephew, Andrew Wesley [Terri] Veach; two brothers-n-law, James Larry Hawthorne [Clanton, AI.] and Mingo DeLapena [Armagosa Valley, Nv.] Three nieces, four great-nieces, four great-nephews, and three great-great nieces. He served his country faithfully and honorably with most of his military service in foreign countries such as Germany, Korea, Thailand, Africa, South America, and two tours of Vietnam. His service included intelligence and radio communications. Honorably discharged from service Fort Washington. He lived in Tacoma, Washington and worked at the McNeal Island Federal Prison for several years. He also worked at the Correctional Institute in Talladega, Alabama. During the mid to late 80's, he worked for various trucking companies in the United States with the last two being Tyson Foods out of Springdale, Arkansas and Super Valu Distribution out of Anniston, Alabama. Mr. Veach retired from Long Haul trucking with an accident free record with over one and half million safe driving miles. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing chess, raising rabbits, cooking, gardening and watching space odyssey movies. From 1990 until 1999, he raised gardens to feed his family and donated fresh vegetables to the Red Door Kitchen and to as many widows as he could. He was a lifetime member of the Disabled Veterans, The Elk’s Lodge in Tacoma, Washington, The Masonic Lodge #261 in Talladega, Alabama. Two of the ham radio clubs that he belonged to are “The Golden Gabbers Net” and “The South Texas Roosters Net”. He was a licensed Ham Radio Operator with the USA Federal Communications Commission. Many of the amateur radio operators will best remember him by the call signs of KE4HHM or his last call sign ofW4NTI. Thank you to all of the Veterans Administration personnel who have been a helped over these past few years with the care of Lester Veach and to all of the following health care teams and individuals who have helped. St. Vincent Home Health Care and therapy team, Atnedys Home Health Care and therapy team, Comfort Care Home Health, Central Family Care, Donahoo Physical Therapy, and Comfort Keepers. For all of the special friends, neighbors, and others who are too numerous to list, thank you for all your help, spiritually, financially, and through time and donated work. You have all been a special blessing during the past few years. Online condolences may be made at www.usreyfuneralhome.com Usrey Funeral Home of Talladega will be directing services.