Doris Jean Lester

Doris Jean Lester, 84, of Louisville, Kentucky, passed away on Friday, July 29, 2022.

She was born on March 5, 1938 in Louisville, Kentucky to the late Raymond and Katherine (Lucien) Potts and named "Doris" after Katherine's friend. The third in a large family of eleven children, she'd help care for her younger siblings. Her first paying job was picking strawberries in J-town. Doris said, "I'd never eat in the patch—but ol' boy—did I eat them when I was done!" She double dated with her brother Jimmy and his girlfriend (later wife) Barbara going to the Fern Creek Eat Shop dancing the jitterbug to the jukebox. Barbara said, "Losing Doris was like losing my sister."

As a teenager, Doris worked at Fanelli's Ice Cream Shop in Buechel where she refused to wait on Lloyd "Hank" Lester. Seeing Doris' rebuff, Mrs Fanelli encouraged her to go out with that "nice young man." Well, she finally said yes and went out with Hank (nicknamed as he sang like Hank Williams) to several of his music shows. He later proposed to Doris at dusk in a cornfield after the two had gone dove hunting.

Doris and Hank married June 18, 1955. Eleven months later Danny was born. Doris always had an eye out for the whole family. When her sister-in-law, Barbara, was pregnant with Ed, Doris was also expecting. On July 3, Doris took Barbara to the hospital. When the two pregnant sister-in-laws showed up, the hospital attendants wanted to know who was in labor. Two weeks later, on July 15, 1957, Doris gave birth to her daughter, Teresa. As a young mother in survival-mode, the first two children were strictly and frugally raised and six years later the second two kids, Debbi and Joey, had a much more lenient upbringing.

With the passing of her mother, Doris became the matriarch of the family. Given the nickname "Little General" by her son-in-law, Wayne. Her granddaughter, Madeline said, "Doris is strong because she is both a pillar to this family and to her community. The way she shows her love is through giving her time and energy to others. The General is truly one-of-a-kind and with a family size of an army, I think we're more than lucky to have a woman like her in command."

Doris is known for being family-oriented, caring, giving, and loyal. She'd often moved family in need of care into her home (her husband's grandmother and aunt, her grandkids, and her father). With two friends, she started Helping Hands in Cadiz, Kentucky, taking kids school shopping, giving backpacks filled with school supplies, having a bike drive, and providing basic needs for families. Notified of a mother and kids living in the woods, Doris helped them find an apartment, get the mom a job and the kids in school. In Cadiz, she also participated in the Newcomers Club welcoming and introducing new arrivals to the neighborhood as well as creating scholarships for kids.

Doris was fearless and willing to always figure it out. Married before she finished high school, determinedly she got her general education diploma before her first-born-son graduated high school. She had multiple jobs and owned small businesses—school bus driver, yard sign company owner, Tupperware top sales manager, BP Mini-Mart franchise co-owner, property owner/manager, and a housecleaning business owner with her sister Nancy.

Doris was "Do It Yourself," before DIY was a thing. Having an engineer's mind, if you gave her a gift, expect it to be customized or redesigned. If a washer or dryer was broken - she'd fix it, have a plumbing issue — she'd fix it, vacuum cleaner not working — she'd fix it.

She was one to always encourage her family and friends to give things a try. Doris suggested dental assistant training which eventually led her daughter, Teresa, to a 40 year career in health care insurance; her son, Joey, although his friends had persuaded him to move Hawaii with them and backed out at the last minute, leaving him holding his airplane ticket, she said, "What is the worst that could happen? You'd have a nice vacation." Well, that trip led him to finding a 30 year career in cell phone service; and she encouraged her daughter, Debbi, to pursue art and this year marks Debbi's 30th year as Art Access magazine publisher.

Always willing to help those in need with either elbow grease or loaning "mattress" money. (In later years, her children finally persuaded her to move the money from under the mattress into a safe!). She'd write encouragement cards to anyone that needed it (family, friends, Masonic Home residents, and Women's Auxiliary members). She put up Christmas decorations in the hallways of the Masonic Home, changed the bulletin boards, was the bingo caller, and added books for the book shelves. Doris was the original ride share service for anyone in need, it could have been called, "Old Lady Lift," as she drove all her friends to appointments, hair cuts, shopping, and shows. She was known as well for arranging and overseeing the home moves of friends from various facilities. A supreme list maker, if you'd need something, she'd write it down, and find it for you. With all the people she helped, one could write a book.

Grandson Corbin said, "Mema (Doris) is a verb, she is defined by her actions. She is always ready to add to her to-do list any item that could help you, however big or small. It is an innate quality, her helpful service to others is not done for recognition or praise, it is ingrained in her identity."

Doris, her sisters, and sister-in-laws travelled together and later daughters and nieces joined in the fun. Dubbed the Crazy Old Women (COWs) by her namesake niece Jean (a daughter of Barbara), Doris helped plan many adventures including trips to the Caribbean, Mackinac Island, Mystic Seaport, Nashville, and Seattle. Travel always included evenings and late nights of playing cards and dominos. The next trip she planned but didn't make was to Biltmore in Asheville and the General Jackson boat.

On Doris' last night on earth, her sisters, Kathy and Nancy, and nieces, Jenny and Melissa, left the hospital at 9:30 p.m. At 9:59 P.M., Doris suddenly opened her eyes looking directly at and startling Teresa who said, "Well, hello momma," then Doris exhaled her last breath as Jenny swerved to miss a car that ran a red light. We like to believe that Doris left just in the nick of time to yet again help her family.

Doris is preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd "Hank" Malon Lester, siblings Raymond "Fritz" Arthur Potts, James "Jimmy" Edward Potts, John "Jackie" Douglas Potts and grandchildren Joseph and Martin Cassady.

Doris is survived by her loving children; Lloyd "Danny" Daniel Lester (Sandy), Teresa Jean Cassady (Wayne), William "Joey" Joseph Lester (Bob Joles), Debra "Debbi" Ann Lester (Ryan Vancil), grandchildren; Michael Daniel Lester (Jennifer), Leslie Jeannine Lester-Wegner (Jamie), Quentin Key Lester, Jacqueline "Jacki" Christine Cassady, Christopher "Chris" Brendan Cassady (Elisabeth), Nicholas Corbin Lester, Madeline "Maddy" Pratt (James), great-grandchildren; Michael Alexander "Alex" Lester, Hailey Danielle Mitchell, Nathan Daniel Lester, Justin Michael Lester, Michaela Jean Lester, Ryan Avery Wegner, Corporal Aubrey Leigh Wegner, USMC, Case Martin Cassady, Hawley Anna Cassady, Cayden Patrick Wilson and Alder Nicholas Pratt.

She is also survived by her siblings; Madeline Ann Compton, Ronald "Ronnie" Lee Potts (Diane "Dee"), Robert "Bobby" Louis Potts, Nancy Louise Robichaud, David Randall Potts (Carmen), Mary "Kathy" Kathleen Hinton (Vernon) and Michael Wayne Potts (Diane).

A Celebration of Doris Lester's Life will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm at the Bistro at the Masonic Home 330 Masonic Home Drive Masonic Home of Kentucky 40041.

The family requests that contributions in Doris' memory be made to Christian Care Communities c/o Mary Lynn Spaulding, CEO (12710 Town Parkway Suite 1000 Louisville, KY 40243).

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