Lester F. Ludwig, Sr.

Born May 31st, 1929 to Rosalee Koehler and Lester Herman Ludwig in Atascosa County, Texas, Lester Frank Ludwig – known to many as Bobby – was proud fifth generation decedent of Henry Castro’s 1844 original D’Hanis settlement.

Lester was married to his beloved wife, “Bonnie” Yvonne Adaline Chandler Ludwig, for more than 73 years. They built a home, raised two sons Lester F. Ludwig Jr. and Bradley W. Ludwig, put both through college, traveled, had rewarding careers and activities, and enjoyed a loving relationship together. Bradley and his wife provided Lester and Yvonne two grandchildren.

Lester was a compassionate husband and father, making many sacrifices and working very long hours to provide for his family. He worked at San Antonio Drug Company, headed Chandler’s Greenhouses, and in management at San Antonio City Water Board, as well as his own landscaping and nursery business.

Lester had a good job at the San Antonio Drug company, but when his father-in-law passed away unexpectedly, Lester was asked to take over the Chandler family’s wholesale greenhouse business, which he did. Besides growing and selling plants, he grew a services business providing and caring for plants for prominent companies across San Antonio including the National Bank of Commerce, Coke-a-Cola Company, and others. After the Chandler wholesale greenhouse was sold, Lester started a private landscaping business for himself to bring in additional money for the family, building three additional greenhouses in his backyard.

Lester was a strong natural leader. He honorably served as Army Sergeant during the Korean War and received five military medals and other recognitions. He was drafted on 29 April 1952 and arrived in Incheon Harbor, Korea on December 29th 1952. His service in Korea included surveying for and creating US military maps; on one such map he named a hill “Mount Bonnie” in tribute to his wife. His tour of duty ended in April 1954 and his Unit, created for the Korean War, dissolved when the troops left Korea. In later years the Unit informally reorganized and their Year 2000 reunion, hosted and organized by Lester in San Antonio, was voted as the Unit’s best reunion ever. Lester remained active in the Korean War Veterans Association.

Although he grew up in a time before modern technology, Lester was an engineer at heart and natural inventor. He was always designing and building useful problem-solving apparatuses, configurations, arrangements, and structures; and was almost always able to fearlessly repair the family car, appliances, plumbing, lawnmower, and beyond. Lester had been committed to his school work earning highest grades, and had meticulous printing, handwriting, and technical drafting skills. Lester’s life was very full, and as such he was never able to attend college, but he did not let that stop him. He had a sharp mind and he was an avid reader and would teach himself whatever he wanted to learn.

As a child Lester would rebuild his bicycles to make them go faster or climb hills via changing gears long before 10 speed bikes were ever thought of. This came in handy as he would often ride many miles to take lunch to his father who worked as a carpenter for the railroad. These trips to the railyard led to Lester’s interest in trains. As a teenager, Lester got a job cleaning the locomotives in the round houses in San Antonio. He must have done a pretty good job as only a few years ago one of the locomotive’s he cared for underwent a complete restoration some 60 years later and when attending a dedication ceremony Lester was recognized for his part in the engine’s long life and rang the engine bell.

Lester always wanted the best for his family. The night before his marriage, Lester was painting their new apartment so his bride would have a nice place to come home to. He started a garden in the backyard of their rented duplex so there were always fresh vegetables for the family. When they built their home, he started a larger garden, producing enough food for the family and neighbors.

When his oldest son, Lester Jr, who was interested in electrical design, turned 5 years old, Lester created a small electrical town on a portable board with telephone poles, lights, and all needed to turn on and off lights and be creative in new designs, all vastly influential to Lester Jr. With his youngest son Bradley, innumerable traditions were passed forward involving hunting, fishing, construction, wood working, home renovation, and many other things. He designed and built a magnificent two-story tree house in the shape of a silver angular-peanut-shape spaceship. When the boys grew up, he tore it down while the neighborhood watched in tears.

Lester loved hunting, so naturally he designed and built hunting blinds in the trees, on the ground, and as elaborately-outfitted free-standing towers (one of which even had internal plumbing). He designed and, with help from his family, built by hand a hunting lodge housing fourteen people that included a kitchen and bathroom with shower.

Besides gardening and hunting, Lester came to enjoy the chemistry and process of winemaking. He successfully crafted and shared over SIXTY varieties of traditional and folk wines made from various flowers, and leaves of plants. His Prickly Pear wine, featuring a novel smokey flavor stemming from flame removal of cactus thorns, was a favorite among his many wine fans.

Lester would plan exciting vacations ranging from camping trips to visits across all 50 states, then to Canada, Mexico and Europe. Lester’s love of research and his travels lead him to dig deeply into his heritage and his family’s genealogy. Lester was proud to be a fifth-generation decedent of his Castro Colony ancestors, and his 12,000 name research work contributions are documented in immense detail on Ancestry.com. Lester traced his entire families roots back to the original of Henry Castro’s 1844 original D’Hanis settlement and followed those to the 1500’s in Alsace, France which he and Yvonne visited on their 50th wedding anniversary in 1999. Lester was active and respected in the Castro Colonies Historical Society and made significant research contributions to local history and genealogy.

One of Lester’s many accomplishments in his later life was when he founded and operated the City Water Board Retiree organization. When the San Antonio City Water Board was taken over by SAWS in the 1990’s, retirees of the “Old Water Board” were not allowed to attend retirement and other company functions. They were unable to visit with one another and many were losing touch with their friends from work, so Lester started a quarterly luncheon for ALL City Water Board and SAWS retirees where they could gather and once again enjoy each other’s company as they did before retiring. The City Water Board Retiree organization which provided well-appreciated comradery among a community of several hundred retirees. Among the many aspects of this was his annual booklet directory of retiree names, address, contacts, and other information (which Lester’s family will continue producing) and the quarterly luncheons which have always been well attended and will continue.

Lester lived a vivid and exciting 93-year life and these few stories only scratch the surface of who he was and what he accomplished. Each of you that knew him have memories of his smile, his wit, his drive, his skills, his intelligence, and his compassion. He was a strong, unassuming, honorable man and brought much good into the world with everything he did. He was and remains loved by all graced to know him. There is no way we can do his life justice in just a few short words, so please in honor of Lester, do remember him often, tell his stories, keep him alive in your minds and in your hearts. In remembering him, you honor who he was and all he did for and brought into this world.

Public viewing will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2023, from 10am-11am, followed by an 11am Memorial Service at Porter Loring Mortuary 1101 McCullough Ave., San Antonio, Texas 78212. Elder Keith Johanson will officiate. Interment will follow in Mission Burial Park South, 1700 SE Military Dr., San Antonio, Texas 78214.