TOMBSTONE TUESDAY - DR STANLEY WILSON LESTER (1912-1963)

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY - DR STANLEY WILSON LESTER (1912-1963)

Dr. Stanley Wilson was not a native of Calhoun County, but his love for the Texas Gulf Coast brought him here to make a life. Through his dedication to serve his fellow citizens, the contributions he made here still serve us well today.

On December 6, 1912, in Big Springs, Texas, Stanley Wilson Lester was born to Frank and Mattie Bell Stanley Lester. He was the youngest of the children with 4 brothers, Otto, Howard, Noel, and Harry, and 2 sisters, Paula, and Lois. His father was a fireman for the railroad, and a veteran of WWI. When his father had vacation time, the family would make the trip down to Rockport to fish, swim, and beach-comb. This is where Stanley’s love for the gulf coast came from. 

Upon graduating from high school, Stanley attended the the University of Colorado Medical School where he graduated with honors. He spent his junior and senior years of his internship in Denver Colorado. When it was time for him to set up his practice Stanley wanted to return to the place that he loved and chose Port Lavaca as his home. 

While in Colorado Stanley met Isabel Thon and the two were married on September 1st, 1937, in Idaho Springs, Denver Colorado. In 1939 Isabel and Stanley moved to Port Lavaca, Texas. Stanley lost no time in setting up his practice. He opened an office over Sterling Drug Store which was located on the corner of Main Street and Guadalupe. His wife, Isabel, worked as receptionist, bookkeeper, and office nurse working alongside Stanley.

When the United States joined World War II, Stanley joined the Army and served his country from 1942 through1946. His tour of duty included Cold Bay Alaska, two and a half years in the Aleutian Islands, and two more years in Luxon in the Philippines. He was a major in the executive offices doing coordinating work between the men and their officers.

After returning to Port Lavaca, he went right back to his medicine practice opening an office with Dr. Truman Melcher. Dr. Lester was dedicated to his patients and his community. There was not a hospital here so when local patients needed to be hospitalized, they were sent to one of the hospitals in Victoria. That meant he had to make long trips to Victoria, sometimes more than 1 trip a day. It was problematic in the travel time it took to get critical patients to render the care they needed; both he and Dr. Melcher would have to be out of the office leaving local patients in at risk should an emergency arise; also, it took a great deal of what little free and family time he did have. Dr. Lester knew what would fix the problem and give the best possible care for some 9,000 citizens of Calhoun County. Dr. Lester presented the solution of building a local hospital that garnished a lot of support; he knew it would be an asset for the county. Dr. Lester then presented the idea to local county officials and they agreed. 

The county bought a 2.573-acre tract of land and then held a special bond election to build a hospital and voters agreed. Architect Wyatt Hidrick was hired to design the new hospital facility. On March 17, 1949, D.D. Boyd, T.A. McDonald, Sam C. Tisdale, John Sterling, Thomas G. Harris Jr., and Earl Sessions, were appointed by the Commissioners’ Court as the first Board of Directors. In July, Mrs. Clara Burke of Victoria was appointed as the first hospital Administrator. The permit was filed in May of 1949, and construction began. The building itself cost $202,000, and the equipment needed brought the total cost of the new hospital to $254,193.80. The hospital was dedicated to the memory of deceased veterans and on February 3, 1949, and opened to the public on April 10th, 1950, as Calhoun County Memorial Hospital, and Dr. Lester was Chief of Staff. That very same day, the first baby was born in the new hospital, Benjamin F. Newton, son of Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Newton of Seadrift. The hospital has gone through several renovations and additions over the years, but Memorial Hospital is still here today serving the citizens of Calhoun County. 

Dr. Stanley was also one of the original organizers of the First National Bank in Port Lavaca, serving as Chairman of the Board from its beginning in 1957 until his death. 

Dr. Lester and his wife Isabel had 3 children together, a daughter Christina Lester Westfall, and two sons, Thon Wilson Lester and Stanley Patterson Lester. In his free time, besides spending time with his family, he enjoyed time on the bay or the gulf fishing in his boat. The Lester’s also owned a farm, and he loved working it. He played golf and was an aviator, piloting his own plane. 

On May 12th, 1963, at the early age of 50, Dr. Stanley Wilson Lester died of a coronary occlusion in the same hospital that he helped build. He is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery at Clark’s Station. There is plenty of evidence that he lived those 50 years serving his country, his patients, and his community in ways that made lives better and left a legacy of care for the people of Calhoun County that still serves us all today. 

Researched and written by Sheryl Moore Cuellar. 

Shifting Sands of Calhoun County

Victoria Advocate Monday, May 13, 1963, page 1; Tues., May 14, 1963, page 10

Big Springs Daily Herald Tues., July 23, 1946, page 11