Lester Wayne Haines' Obituary
Lester Wayne Haines of Centerville, and formerly of Exline, was born south of Cincinnati, IA on June 7, 1919. He was the son of Orval and Lillian (Newland) Haines. Lester died at the Continental Care Center of Seymour on March 29, 2007.Lester graduated from Exline High School in 1938. He worked on a farm near Marshalltown until being drafted into the United States Army in 1942. He served his country with Battery D 439 C.A.A. Battalion. He was a sergeant of a gun crew in the heavy artillery. For three years his battalion fought their way from North Africa to Sicily, to Italy, than circled around through France into Germany. He never would talk about the battles he endured but they left their mark on his life. He always said he never lost anything there and he had no desire to go back. Upon his return from the service, he stayed on the family farm until his brother, Don, returned from the army. He then went to the Chicago area where he worked on a horse farm owned by Mr. Forsheim of Forsheim shoes. In 1946 he returned to the farm south of Exline where he, his father, and his brother, Don, farmed together. In 1947 he and Don purchased the farm where he lived until two years ago when he bought a house in Centerville and moved there. For a few years he was an employee of Viskase in Centerville. As Lester's health failed, he enjoyed planting a vegetable garden and watching it grow. He was known for having one of the best gardens around. Lester is survived by his sister Wilma Perkins of Exline; a brother Don and his wife Dorothy of Exline; nieces Dixie Scurlock and her husband David of Newtown, PA; Janet Young and her husband Bill of Mystic; Nancy Clark of Ft. Madison; nephews Danny Haines and his wife Barbara of rural Moulton; David Haines and his wife Marketta of Exline, Dale Haines and his wife Karen of O'Fallon, MO, and Gregory Musgrove and his wife Jeannie of Ames. He is also survived by a good friend of many years, Eleanor Moore.Lester was preceded in death by his parents, Orval and Lillian Haines, a brother Walter Haines and his wife Olive, a sister Deloris Musgrove and her husband Paul, and a brother-in-law John Perkins. Graveside services will be held on Monday, April 2 at 1:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Cemetery east of Omaha, MO with Larry Bettis officiating. Visitation will be held at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home on Sunday, April 1 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. with the family present from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Mitchell Cemetery in care of To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Lester Wayne Haines please visit our Sympathy Store.
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