Lester Kiel, 88, Princeton

April 19, 1928 - August 15, 2016

Lester Kiel was born April 19, 1928 to Garrit and Grace (Schutte) Kiel of Pease, Minnesota. Les attended District #6 Elementary School and graduated from Milaca High School. He also attended the Christian Missionary Alliance Church with his family in Milaca.

In his earlier years he worked in the plastering business in Milaca and later in sheetrock taping for the next 35 years in Minneapolis.

He was married to Edythe Blomquist for 42 years and to that union were born three children: Mary Karen, Carol Jane, and Timothy Lee. Edythe passed away in February of 1991. Others of his family to pass away were his parents, Garrit and Grace; brothers, Steve, Dick, John, and Kenny; and his son-in-law, Randy Truax.

On June 19, 1993, Lester married Marjorie Luginbill of Princeton, Minnesota. Les and Marj enjoyed their children and grandchildren with three of them being mutual grands due to Tim (Les’s son) and Marie (Marj’s daughter) already being married. Les and Marj enjoyed many winters of traveling around the United States, working in the Children’s Bible Mission in Polk City, Florida, and many other winters at Bibleville in Alamo, Texas where they were involved in music and Bible conferences.

The last few years have been the most challenging as Les has had to deal with Parkinson’s Disease. After Marjorie could no longer take care of him due to her own health problems, Les moved to Elim Home in Princeton in 2013. As soon as Marj was back on her feet, she spent time daily with him at Elim. Mutual hobbies they enjoyed were reading, playing bingo, putting puzzles together and attending weekly chapel service.

Before confinement, Les and Marj enjoyed RV-ing, hiking, and biking. Les loved to tackle home improvement projects…. and Marj helped, Ha!

Les had been an active member of the Princeton Evangelical Free Church and had served in the role of trustee for a number of years.

He will be deeply missed by his wife, Marjorie; his children, Mary (Jeff) Peters, Carol Truax, and Timothy (Marie) Kiel; six step-children, Steven (Jan) Luginbill, Rebecca (Tracy) Adams, Marie (Tim) Kiel, Brenda (Paul) Promnitz, Cynthia (Daniel) Clough, Brent (Shara) Luginbill; grandchildren, Erin (Ron) Meyer, Bryan (Crystal) Peters, Deanne (David) Vaubel, Ryan (Lindsay) Truax, Sara (Brandon) Hale, Scott Kiel, and Stephanie Kiel; many great-grandchildren; numerous step-grandchildren and step great-grandchildren that all loved their grandpa; Les is also survived by his brother, Harry (Lorna) Kiel of Fergus Falls; sisters-in-law, Stella Kiel of Milaca and Loree (Kiel) Vanman of Colorado.

The Lord blessed Les and Marj with 23 years of married life to whom they give praise! A fulfilled life meant #1 Serving the Lord with a surrendered heart to HIS service and #2 Serving one another and cherishing every moment together.

A Celebration of Les’s Life will be held at 11AM on Thursday, August 18, 2016 at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Princeton. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Arrangements are entrusted to Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home.