Well here I am sobbing again, thinking of you.   Friday’s are the hardest on me because that’s the day of the week I last got to hear your sweet voice.   Last time I got to tell you I love you and to hear you say “ I love you too hun” 
Missing you so very much tonight.  I love you Mom.  


Our heartfelt condolences go out to all the family of this wonderful friend and amazing lady!   We could always count on a warm welcome with every visit and a good chat where we usually ended up laughing at some story she had to tell us!    She cared so  much for her family and friends and was always there for everyone!

We laughed and we cried together and we will always be grateful for her true friendship over the years.  "Mammaw", you were so loved and will be sorely missed by everyone!  

With love, John and Joy

I would like to express my most sincere and heartfelt sympathy to the family of Charlene Lester who finally decided she really had enough of this life on earth naturally with the approval of Jesus and with a weeks notice by Ernest giving her his green light departed her earthly journey and joined the big love of her life in the eternal journey to her heavenly home.  I grew up as a teen-ager in Wise, Va (Dotson Creek) knowing Charlene and first hand being aware of how hard Charlene worked as a young girl that devoted her life to the well-being of her immediate and  always growing family.  Charlene traveled by foot around Wise doing menial chores to earn a few pennies which went into the family coffer to feed the family, picking berries in the country, cooking and cleaning houses, and many other chores which she accepted with a smile.  I seldom ever seen Charlene without the nice smile on her face.  Another thing I can recall was Charlene the teenager always was accompanied by two sisterly bodyguards (Adrian and "DD").   Charlene finally met and married her true soul-mate Ernest Lester in the late 50's and they finally departed  southwest Virginia for the area around Fairfax and finally to their nice home in Stafford where they spent the remainder of their life.   I spent many hours on the phone in the past decade or so  talking with Charlene  laughing and guffawing about the people we both knew in Wise.  In the early 50's until the mid 60's there were several "oldies" that you expected to see somewhere in Wise at most any hour of the day or night.  Charlene knew them all.  We often talked about the little short cigar chewing one, or the postmaster that met the mail truck at designated times all day and many nights, the one that went around looking for fairly long discarded cigarettes, there was "contact", the notary from near the old fairground,  the tall town street walking policeman from Coeburn mountain,  the taxi man Hialeah H.,  the owner of Nell's Restaurant.

Mammaw- Big Charlene 
So many memories, so many fun times, so many laughs. So much love, so much given to all of us thru the years. 
I’ll miss our hours long phone calls and those tight squeezing hugs you give most. 
I don’t think any of us were ready for this, and in time we will be ok. You’ve done so much for so many for so many years. Rest easy now and give Pappaw a big hug for me. Love you always
Forever in my heart- Little Charlene 



Mammaw you watched me grow up and you and pappaw turned me into the man I am today and I couldn’t ask for two better grandparents then you guys and don’t worry I already have pappaw tattoo and yours is next so that way you’ll are always with me I love you both and miss you guys so much until we meet again I hope you’ll Rest In Peace ❤️

Mammaw,
You watched me grow up from the moment from when I was in diapers to now. And everytime we went to go and visit you. You always had us laughing from the moment we came up there to the moment we left. You watched me come this far in life and I’m going to continue everyday to make you proud just like I did when you were here. 
I love you Mammaw forever and Always ❤️ 

Charlene I’ve known you pretty much my whole life so I guess that makes us more like family.

I’m glad that I got to bring you some happiness by getting your yard back into shape.  I’ll never forget how thankful you were to be able to see past the fence again.  I’ll continue to maintain it for you as long as needed . I’ll keep your squirrels and hummingbirds fed 

Now every year as I grow my garden I’ll be thinking of you and how much you appreciated all the vegetables and eggs that we would bring you .

I know you always said you loved me but I never said it back. I don’t say that often but I want you to know I love you.



How do I go on without you?   You were everything a mother should be and more.   You took in so many of your grandchildren and  raised them the best you could so that they would a more decent life . 

I’ve picked my phone up to call you so many times in the last few days and reality hits me.  I miss you so much already .

The only comfort I can find is knowing that you are with Dad.  That the day you saw him standing in the doorway last week, he was coming for you.  Thankfully you put him off a few more days. Poor dad, always waiting on his woman. 

So much I want to say but it would take a million books to write your story.  Your love, compassion and strength to get through anything thrown at you showed through everyday .

I’m so honored to have you as a mother.  I hope I’ve become at least half the woman that you are.  My heart is shattered into a million pieces but I know you wouldn’t want me to cry, but it’s so hard not to.  

I love you Mom

She was so happy this day.  Here she is with her oldest and youngest grandsons.


Like others, Mamaw was almost like a mom to me. She took me in when nobody could. I remember sitting at the table with her and Papaw watching them scratch their tickets. I’m so happy they’re together again. I can’t be sad anymore, she always would talk about how much she missed him. I know they’re watching down on my family and I and I bet Papaw is helping her get used to the after life. She’s a tough cookie so I know she got it. I love you forever Mamaw <3

I will miss you a lot. We have great memories together.  I will cherish the card you sent me when Red passed away.  RIP

Mammaw, 

I love you so much! You were always such a big fan of anything I did and I always tried my best to make you proud. You and Pappaw were the best grandparents a kid could ask for💜. I don't know how I'm going to be able make it through without you but I'm going to try my best and do my best to make you and Pappaw proud. Until I see you again, I love and miss you 💜

Mammaw is what I call you, except to me you were not only my Mammaw you were also my mom. You took me in and raised me when no one wanted me. You taught me so many things my love for cooking, cleaning, telling people off when it needs to be done standing my ground and taking no bs from anyone no matter who they are.😉❤️ You were such a spitfire and at the same time you were everyones rock, safety, protector, nurturer, our biggest cheerleader. There are so many memories I will cherish forever and not enough words to express what you mean to me. I know you are now with the love of your life rest easy I love you until we meet again. Ps. Wanda is doing such a great job of keeping things exactly how you wished please don’t worry about that you would be so proud of her. The photo I chose was the day I became a mom for the first time this was a special day for me in so many ways❤️

My Aunt Charlene will forever have a special place in my heart. She is in my earliest memories and through out my whole life. She was a firecracker and so much fun to be around. Your stomach would hurt from laughing from her stories she shared. I love her and will miss her dearly! Wanda you make your mommy Proud!
Love Lisa, David and Family ❤️

OBITUARY

Charlene Kilgore Lester

January 18, 1939 – August 7, 2021

Mullins & Thompson Funeral Service

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