Lester Wilkonson
Wilkonson, Lester, 95, Petroleum Engineer, died Monday, December 26, 2005. Viewing will be Thursday, December 29, 8:00 A.M. ~ 1:00 P.M, and the memorial service will be at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, January 5, 2006, both at Downing Lahey Mortuary East. Lester graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1933 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. Born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma in 1910, Lester was the eighth and last surviving child of Arthur and Kate Wilkonson. Skilled in all aspects of the oil and gas business, Lester worked as a roustabout and petroleum engineer in Oklahoma and Wyoming. He served as a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II. Lester and his family moved to Wichita in 1950 and he established a practice as an independent petroleum engineer. He became an expert in the Hugoton Gas Field in Western Kansas and in addition to his own development activities in Hugoton and other areas, Lester applied his expertise as a consultant to the Conservation Division of the Kansas Corporation Commission for many years. Lester was a registered professional engineer in the states of Kansas and Oklahoma, a 55 year Legion of Honor Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and a retired member of the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association. In addition to his professional activities, Lester was very philanthropically inclined and made substantial gifts to his alma mater for athletics and for the endowment of a Chair in the OU College of Engineering. He also established a fund with the Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation for cancer research in honor of his wife of 37 years, Maizie, who died of the disease in 1973. Lester also made contributions for other educational, health and physical and mental disability purposes. Further, he helped many individuals over the years by giving students funds for school expenses and other personal needs. Lesters contributions touched many lives in the Wichita Community in a positive way. Survivors include a son, Arthur and grandchildren, Scott and Kate, all of Denver, Colorado. A memorial has been established with Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation, 3306 E. Central, Wichita, KS, 67208. Downing Lahey Mortuary East. Tributes may be sent to the family via www.downingandlahey.com
Viewing will be Thursday, December 29, 8:00 A.M. ~ 1:00 P.M.,Downing Lahey Mortuary East.
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Dear Wilkonson Family, I want to extend my deepest sympathy to you during this time of grief. My name is Amy Rose and I was Lester’s Wichita State University Student Nurse. Lester and I met in September and I felt we formed an instant bond. We both shared a love of OU sports and many of our conversations were on that topic. Lester spoke very highly of his family and he loved you all very much. I just wanted to extend my sympathy and prayers to you and let you know that your loved one meant a great deal to me and he will be greatly missed. With Deepest Sympathy, Amy Rose
Dear Art and family, I just wanted to let you know that some of the sense of loss you are going through with Less passing is shared by those of us that were lucky enough to be his friends, and there are many. I met Les in the mid 1960s as a really young kid working for the KCC. He was consulting with us on the Hugoton field, and about everything I know about the oil & gas business I learned from Les. He really cared about me and my family. My daughter, Kathy, even worked for Les awhile part-time, and always thought the best job in the world would be to work full time for him. I remember first meeting you as a young college student tending bar at one of the functions your mom and dad hosted out on the farm. He was, and is extremely proud of you and your family. After I left the KCC to work for the Federal Land Bank, Susan and I would try to get together with Les for dinner about once a month. Sometimes he would even let us buy, although we had to be a little sneaky about it Susan always remembers him as one of the most gracious, gentleman we know, with just enough salty language to be endearing. Conversations were never boring, many times centered on missing your mom , your progress through life, Sooner football and on what great deals he had got at the grocery store utilizing his coupons. And too, were the many stories he would share about his earlier days as a youth, card-playing college student and roustaboutwhat a sparkle he would get in his eyes as he told them! We always looked forward to the next one. We bought a little place on Beaver Lake in Arkansas a few years ago and although we still work here, we try to get down there on weekends, so our get-togethers with Les became less frequent, although we tried to keep up on the phone. We were distressed to hear that he had broken his hip and was in a wheel chair, although he made us feel like it was bothering us more than it was bothering him. I was sorry we missed you and him at Jim Tasheffs funeral. The last time I saw Les was the Friday before Christmas, and although he was, in his words, ‘sleepy all the time,’ he knew who I was, asked about Susan and the family and wanted to know how things were going. He spoke of being 95 and how he couldnt believe it. I couldnt either. Ill always remember him as a ‘one of a kind’– the most uniquely generous, kind and caring individual I have met in my life. Our sincere sympathy to you and your family in the loss of a truly great man. Sincerely, Richard Carlisle
Re: Your father, Lester Wilkonson Dear Art: I am very sorry about Lester passing away. I had intended to visit him last Saturday or Sunday but was unable to do so. As you likely know, there was no one I respected more than Lester, not only for his extreme competence but also his true honesty and sense of morality. Sincerely, Ralph Brock
A. O., i have been out of town, and in catching up on the papers, i saw your dad passed away. i am very sorry to hear it. over the years here in wichita i have heard his name come up several times, and it was alway in a a good way. he was obviously held in high regard. i see he had full, interesting life. i hope we make it that long. in hoc, chris robe
Members of the OU Club of Wichita send their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Lester Wilkonson. We share his passion for the University of Oklahoma and know we could never thank him enough for his support and generosity. Live on University. Mark Chamberlin President OU Club of Wichita