Richard LESTER

LESTER, Richard Egerton Matheson
Dick died of natural causes on March 26, 2014, four days after his 86th birthday. He leaves three sons, Doug, of Abbotsford, and his partner Shelly Avram, Reid of Toronto and daughter-in-law Carol Jones, Mark of West Vancouver and daughter-in- law Kathryn, and daughter Gillian of Oakland, CA, and son-in-law Eric Talley, six granddaughters, Caroline, Leigh and Erin Lester, Raine and Maren Lester, and Grace Lester Talley, and one grandson, Rhys Lester Talley.
Dick was born in Toronto but moved to Vancouver in 1948, after one year at the University of Toronto. From there, he worked in the mine at Britannia Beach and later in the Yukon, before graduating from UBC Law School in 1952. Also in 1952, he married Lois Jensen to whom he would be married for almost 57 years, until her death in 2009. Dick practiced law for many years in Haney, BC. During that time, he also served as President of the BC School Trustees Association (1961-63), as a Member and sometime Chairman of the Board of Governors at Simon Fraser University (1963-71), and as President of the Western Canadian Universities' Marine Biological Society (1970-1971). In 1969, he left his law practice in Haney to return to UBC as a graduate student in political science where he studied for three years. In 1972, he returned to the law, this time as Labour Relations Counsel to the Pulp and Paper Industrial Relations Bureau, in Vancouver. He then moved to the firm of Heane Wylie and Company and later to Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy before returning to the Pulp Bureau, as President, from 1976 to 1984. In 1984, Dick joined Ladner Downs (now BLG) where he practiced "labour relations" law until his official retirement in 1996.
When speaking of his later career in law, he said that his experience with the Pulp Bureau taught him the importance of protecting credibility while seeking accord. This approach to labour relations coloured his thinking for the rest of his career; Dick saw himself as a labour relations lawyer rather than as a labour lawyer.
Dick had an adventurous spirit, deep intellectual curiosity, and passion for new experiences. He loved to sail, both on his own boat, Sunbeam II, and much later, on cruise ships. He travelled the world with Lois, and led the family on many trips, including a seven week driving adventure to Mexico in a VW van in 1969-70, and a six week camping trip across Europe in the summer of 1972. He was a perfect dinner guest because he was interesting, engaging, and knew something about almost everything. He also had a passion for gadgets, dictionaries, BBC talk shows, the White Spot at Park Royal, floating sun glasses (!), unusual breakfast drinks, and so much more. He truly touched all who came to know him. He will be deeply missed.
Special thanks to the nurses at the Geriatric Outreach Program at the West Vancouver Community Health Centre for their weekly care. Thanks as well to the staff at Amica in West Vancouver where Dad spent his final months. For a celebration of Dick's life, please join us at 11 AM on Monday, April 21, 2014 at The Great Hall, Gleneagles Golf Course, 6190 Marine Drive West Vancouver. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lions Gate Hospital Foundation, or the Union Gospel Mission (www.ugm.ca).