Rev. DaVetta Lester (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Rev. DaVetta Williams Lester, daughter of Dave Williams and May McCarty, was born October 20, 1933 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. DaVetta departed this life, bound for glory, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at the age of ninety-one.
She was united in marriage to Rev. Frank E. Lester, Sr. in Denver, Colorado. Several years later they moved to Lebanon, Missouri.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Frank E. Lester; her son, Sidney Dexter Cummings; her parents and her sister.
DaVetta was raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. She graduated from High School there and went on to pursue her dreams. She held various forms of employment in life which included Gates Rubber Company, The United States Postal Service and the IBM Corporation. DaVetta retired in good standing from IBM on October 11, 1993.
DaVetta surrendered to Christ later in life, and pursued Him with all her heart. Here in Lebanon, she was an active member of Lebanon’s First Assembly of God Church. While there she served faithfully as one of the founders of ‘The Lades Tea’, a monthly Bible study for women. She sponsored a ‘Thinking of You and Get Well’ card ministry for the church, and was in the ‘The Matthew 25:36’ prison ministry in Jefferson City and Boonville, Missouri, which she and Rev. Lester began. DaVetta retired from this ministry at the age of 85 years on October 20, 2019 (10 years). DaVetta also began a weekly nursing home visit ministry in 2017 at The Dove Center and Lebanon North and South nursing home facilities in Lebanon. One of her greatest joys was to pray for those in need.
Rev. DaVetta Lester was not only a devoted wife, but she was also a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, and was ordained as a minister through the Evangelical Church Alliance. DaVetta was loving, full of joy and hospitality, and given to generosity. Blessing others was a God-given gift and a way of life of DaVetta. She often said, “I am blessed, highly favored and greatly loved”. She truly walked her faith, believing that she was blessed to be a blessing.
Today, we celebrate her life and how God used her to expand His Kingdom and love on this earth. DaVetta was a living testament that you are never too old to be used by God, you only need to be willing. She will be greatly missed by a host of relatives and friends. All that knew her rejoice in the fact that her journey here on earth is over, but her new journey of everlasting life has begun.
Rev. DaVetta Lester – Blessed, Highly Favored and Greatly Loved!
Memorial service for Rev. DaVetta Lester will be Friday, August 1, 2025 at 11 a.m. at Lebanon First Assembly of God Church in Lebanon, Missouri.
A memorial has been established to the Pregnancy Support Center and donations may be left at the funeral home.
What’s your fondest memory of DaVetta?
What’s a lesson you learned from DaVetta?
Share a story where DaVetta's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with DaVetta you’ll never forget.
How did DaVetta make you smile?

