Lester Mason Gillenwater Jr.

Born March 2, 1936, in Richlands, VA, he was the son of the late Lester Mason, Sr. and Ella Reedy Gillenwater, who met at Emory & Henry College and spent his first four years at Emory, where his mother was the school nurse, and his father was assistant to the school President.

He was predeceased by his beautiful wife Dusty in Feb. 2024, siblings, Jane Pierotti, Virginia Sturm and Richard Gillenwater. He is survived by, stepson Scott Lewis (Holley Ann), daughter Stephanie Reese (Dan), and son Ash Gillenwater (Ashley), his seven grandchildren Tanner, Mason, Margaret, Ella, Wade, Wood, and Vin as well as his long-time best friend and hunting companion, Jimmy Chisenhall.

Les grew up at the Masonic Children's home in Richmond, VA, following his father's untimely death at the age of 44. He attended high school at Highland Springs HS, where he excelled in sports, selected as co-captain of the 1954 football team and co-captain of the 1955 track team, where he participated in eight track and field events and scored 196 points in eight track meets his senior year, a record that still stands today. In 2007, Les was selected as a member of the Springer Wall of Fame.

Following high school, Les joined the U.S Marines rather than be drafted by the Army. Les always had a sense of duty and patriotism, having lost his 1956 Congressional appointment to the second class of the Air Force Academy due to a bout with hepatitis.

After months of training at Parris Island and Camp Lejeune, Les was selected as a Ceremonial Guard trainee to be stationed at Marine Barracks, 8th and I, Washington, D.C. His duties during two & one-half years at Marine Barracks included presidential guard duty at the White House, Blair House, and Camp David, arrivals and departures of state dignitaries as well as burials at Arlington Cemetery. In 1960, Les received the White House Service Award from President Eisenhower for outstanding service. After his military service and several years in the financial field in Florida, Les returned to college and, with help from the G.I Bill, completed his college education, graduating with B.S degree in Business Management in 1968, the last class year of R.P.I., now V.C.U. Les was employed in July 1968, by the 3M Corp., which is based in St. Paul, MN, as a field-based manager for their new Printing Products Division, responsible for sales in Virginia and Eastern N.C. Les retired in 1998 after thirty (30) years of 3M service.

Leading up to his retirement and beyond, Les enjoyed trips to both Raleigh, NC and Huntington, WV where he participated in the Southeastern and Midwest Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships, winning first place in many of the weight events. Les was a proponent of giving back and providing advice to younger generations. During retirement, Les substituted at Chesterfield Career and Technical Center, making many friends and quickly becoming a regular substitute of the instructors due to his warm personality and dedication.

Les was a member of many organizations, including Manchester Masonic Lodge #14, AF & AM, Scottish Rite Valley of Richmond and ACCA Shrine Center, where he was a past Major and longtime Secretary of the Provost Guard. He was also a member of the ACCA Golf Club and ACCA Antique Car Club and a longtime member of the Marine Corps League, The American Legion, The Navy League, and was a member of ACAC where he worked out several days a week.

A Celebration of Life with military honors will be held at American Legion Post 354, 4800 Welby Turn, Midlothian, VA, on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 3:00 PM. A private interment will be held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church the following day, where Les will be laid to rest next to his loving wife in the memorial garden.

The family is thankful to the attentive medical staff of Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center who took care of Les during his final days. In lieu of flowers, a tax-deductible contribution may be made to ACCA Shrine Children's Transportation Fund, ACCA Shrine Center, 1712 Bellevue Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227.