LESTER DELANO HALL 69, of New Carlisle,
Ohio, died Monday, September 8, 2003 at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.
He was born December 22, 1933, in Floyd County, Printer, Kentucky, a son of the
late Hollie and Julia Brown (Allen) Hall, Anderson, Indiana. He was a veteran
of the United States Air Force having served a total of 21 years. Lester served
in the Korean War as a Jet Engine Mechanic. He retired from Federal Civil
Service at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in September 1974. Lester was well
known as a professional bluegrass musician and was given the honor of
acceptance as a Kentucky Colonel. He made special guest appearances on Ernest
Tubbs Midnight Jamboree on WSM radio, Nashville, Tennessee, The Wheeling
Jamboree, Wheeling, West Virginia, and also appearing on the stage of the Grand
Ole Opry. In 1968 he received a recording contract with REM Records of
Nashville, Tennessee. He recorded nine single records and four long play albums
under his name "Les Hall and The Mastertones." One of his many
talents was his ability to play the Mandolin, Guitar, Banjo, Dobro Guitar,
Fiddle and the Bass without reading music. He is survived by his daughter and
son-in-law, Debra A. (Hall) and Virgil Bays of New Carlisle; two
granddaughters, Kim Downing (husband Doug) and Kary Burlile (husband Rick);
brother, Don L. Hall (wife Phyllis) of Kokomo, Indiana; two sisters, Rochelle
R. Riddell of Anderson, Indiana, and Florelle H. Shreves (husband Phil) of
Anderson, Indiana; great-granddaughter, Lauren Duncan; great-grandson, Brock
Downing. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife,
Virginia Ann (Helsley) Hall. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday,
September 11, 2003 at TROSTEL, CHAPMAN, & CHRISTMAS Funeral Home of New
Carlisle, Ohio. Pastor Dan Witter of Bethel Nazarene Church will be
officiating. Burial will follow in New Carlisle Cemetery. The family will
receive friends at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday.
First published in SNS on Sep 10 2003