Lester Alan Thostenson
Lester Alan Thostenson, 60, of Ottumwa, died at 3:15 a.m. Dec. 20, at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City.
He was born Dec. 31, 1955, in Clinton, to Arthur and Dorothy Marie Finley Thostenson. He married Teresa Eggen on June 19, 1982, in McGregor. He played football, wrestled and played clarinet in high school, graduating from OHS in 1974. He attended UNI on the Carl King Scholarship earning his BA degree in Music in 1978. He taught band at Bennett Community School for two years and in Ottumwa at Washington Jr. High and Walsh for three years. He then began his career in real estate, working for Julian Campbell Realty and Century 21 Realty. In 1992, he opened his own business as Midwest Real Estate. They became franchised in 1998, as Coldwell Banker Real Estate.
Les was a member of St. Mary of the Visitation, serving as a long term cantor and member of the choir. Since 1982, he had been a member and served as past president of Ottumwa Board of Realtors, a member of Rotary Club of Ottumwa where he was a Paul Harris Fellow and had served as chairman of the scholarship committee for many years. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Ottumwa Regional Health Center Foundation serving as chairman from 2000-2008. He was also a member and Past President of Ottumwa Civic Music. In 2006, he was named Honorary Survivor in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Wapello Co.
His favorite time of the year was in the summer exploring camp grounds across the United States with his family. He loved his family, music, hiking, real estate, his community and an elegant glass of wine.
Surviving are his wife, Teresa; a daughter, Katherine Thostenson, of West Des Moines; a son, Andrew Thostenson, of Fort Worth, Texas; two brothers, Dennis Thostenson, of Florida and Perry Thostenson, of Oskaloosa; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a stillborn brother, Paul Thostenson.
Funeral Mass will be Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary of the Visitation with Father James Betzen, CPPS presiding. Cremation will follow the service. Inurnment will be at a later date in McGregor. Visitation will begin Tuesday, Dec. 27, after 10 a.m. at Reece Funeral Home with the family present from 5 to 7:30 p.m. A Christian Wake service will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials may be made to St. Mary of the Visitation or Wapello County Trails.
