Bebe Hairfield Lester

Bebe Lester, 82, of Beckley passed away on Wednesday, June 3, 2015. Born on June 28, 1932 in Draper, NC, Bebe was the daughter of the late Nannie Chattin and R.B. Hairfield, Sr. Bebe was married to Virgil Joyce, Sr. and moved to the Raleigh County area where she lived until her passing. After Virgil passed away, Bebe married Elmer Lester. Bebe was a homemaker for years, and at the age of 40, became an LPN. She worked in the OB area of Raleigh General Hospital until she retired. Bebe was a faithful member of the Hollywood Missionary Baptist Church until her health no longer allowed her to attend. She was a great seamstress, sewing many of her children’s clothes, and loved bowling with her late husband, Elmer. Bebe will be remembered as a strong woman of faith, a hard-worker, and a loving wife, mother, sister, and friend. She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; son, Larry Lester; brothers, R.B. Jr. and George Hairfield; and sisters, Laurel Hairfield, Barbara Stone, and Evelyn Cassell. Those left to cherish her memory include her sons, Virgil Joyce, Jr. of Tobaccoville, NC, and Michael Lester of Sacramento, CA; daughters, Frances Nichol of Tobaccoville, NC, Danita Harston, and husband, Brent of Sherman, TX, and Pamela Romansic and husband, Dave of Beckley; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great grandchildren. Graveside services will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 11am in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, with visitation one hour prior at Blue Ridge Funeral Home. The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to Bebe’s caregivers, John and Barbara Kinley and their staff. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association at www.act.alz.org, or to the Raleigh County Humane Society.