Armina V. Lester

Armina Virginia Lester
Born in Fillmore, Kentucky on 08/07/1940 Departed in Troy, Michigan on 6/20/2025
Armina Virginia Lester - Loving wife, mother, sister, and friend.
With spirit, love and ferocity, Armina Lester was a momma bear who would go to the ends of the earth to protect her family and friends when needed. From the very beginning she was deeply committed to her loved ones, to God, and to our country. Armina was born on August 7, 1940, to Earl and Dorothy Fultz. They honored her by giving her the names of their respective mothers; Armina on her mother's side, and Virginia on her dad's. Armina was born the 4th of 10 children. They include, with spouses in parenthesis, Marvin Fultz (Dollie), Essie Mae Stamper (Willard), Elmer Fultz (Dollie), Tommy Fultz, Elizabeth West (Walter), Sandra Swinson (Gerald), Byrl Fultz (Pat), Mike Fultz (Joyce), and Daryl Fultz (Sue).
Armina loved her parents deeply and relished being a part of such a large family. When Armina was 5 years old, her parents decided to leave Kentucky and move up to Michigan. Armina's father, Earl Harrison Fultz, was the Pastor of the Rochester Church of God on Auburn Road in Rochester Hills. The family built the church together from the ground up, and Armina had fond memories of working alongside her dad pouring tar and hammering nails to get it done. She grew up loving to listen to him preach and hold all-night revivals.
When Armina was 15, as much as she loved school and was a good student, she had to quit in order to care for her youngest brothers. While she was happy to do so, she felt a calling to continue on and finish her education, which she finally got to do after taking courses and getting her diploma in 1978.
When she was 18 years old, Armina noticed that 2 young girls named Pat and Mattie needed a ride home after her dad's Sunday services, so she offered to take them. As they were driving, the girls excitedly told her about their oldest brother and wanted to introduce her to him. They both ran into the house and out came a handsome 22-year-old rogue named John Lester. In nothing but trousers and with no shoes, his face lit up when he saw the beauty sitting there in her convertible. He smoothly introduced himself, they chatted, and he asked for her number. To her amused shock, he had no paper with him, so he wrote her number right on the porch post. At 18 years old, and the daughter of a strict Pastor, Armina had never been on a single date - something she was embarrassed about and tried to hide from John. He persisted asking her out for weeks and finally had to settle for meeting her in her parents' living room. John was smitten from the beginning, and he knew that he was going to marry this gorgeous girl. It took 4 long years, but she knew he was right, and they finally married in a beautiful ceremony on August 25th, 1962.
There had been nothing in this world more important to Armina than becoming a wife and mother. Within three months after the wedding, Armina got her dearest wish when she found out she was pregnant. John C. Lester Jr came into this world on July 15th, 1963. She finally had her own baby, and she was overjoyed. John and Armina saved and bought their first house in 1968. The family wasn't yet complete, however, as they dearly wanted a little girl. Jennifer A. Lester was born on June 11th, 1970, and Armina's little family was finally complete. She was affectionately called "Poo" by her children from the time they were small, and no one knows why. She delighted in raising her children, attending every school function and event, and even volunteered as a school mom in the library. She was very strict but also so loving, and her children always knew they had a warrior on their side ready for any adversity or challenge that they faced.
When Jennifer was in her teens, Armina decided it was time to go back to work. She had always been determined that both of her children would graduate from college, and she did not want John to face that financial burden alone. So, she applied to Abitibi Price for a mail room position. It wasn't long before she quickly climbed the ladder, was promoted to sales and was traveling around the country adding new accounts for the company. With her talent for sales, she transitioned to a successful career in real estate until she retired in her early 60s.
Throughout her life, Armina enjoyed many hobbies. She loved working in her garden and taking care of her flowers. She truly relished cooking for her family (especially southern style!), as well as playing her guitar and piano. She cherished the family pets over the years and had a very special place in her heart for their last pup named Keisha. One of the greatest joys in her life came rather late, when John decided to learn the guitar and play with her. They had a ball playing and recording their music in their last decade before John passed suddenly in 2016.
After John was gone her heart was utterly broken. Armina struggled through some truly difficult times without him as her anchor. She already had many health problems, and they were steadily getting more challenging to deal with. Her worst nightmare, however, was the sudden passing of her beloved son John Jr on August 27th, 2020. In true Armina fashion she forged on. Many of her loved ones marveled at her incredible strength and resilience. Her time on this earthly realm came to an end in the early morning of June 20th, 2025. For everyone who knew and loved her, their world lost a bit of her special magic and color. She was truly one of a kind and will be forever celebrated and missed.
The wonderful and comforting part for those that she left behind is she is finally out of pain, no more suffering, she is in the hands of the Lord and reunited with her beloved husband John, her cherished son John Jr, and many other loved ones who left before her.
Armina was predeceased by many dear ones, including her beloved husband John Lester, son John Lester Jr., her parents Earl and Dorothy Fultz, brothers Tommy Fultz, Marvin Fultz and Elmer Fultz, sister Essie Mae Stamper, parents-in-law Charles and Ada Lester, brothers-in-law William and Perry Lester, and sister-in-law Patricia Tweed, along with many other precious relatives and friends.
She leaves behind her daughter Jennifer Lester (and husband Chris Moller), many siblings and in-laws, and more nieces and nephews than one can possibly keep track of. Of special note: her niece Sherry was a comfort and rock for Armina in her last years, and a precious little girl named Essie Goodenough (Sherry's granddaughter), who brought so much light and love to Armina and made her last few years truly special.
Much love to all who knew her.
Family will receive friends, Thursday, June 26, 2025, 3-8pm at A. J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home, 2600 Crooks Road, (btwn Maple & Big Beaver), Troy. 248-362-2500.
Funeral Service Friday, June 27, 2025, 11am, at A. J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home, 2600 Crooks Road, (btwn Maple & Big Beaver), Troy. 248-362-2500. Visitation at the funeral home begins 10am. Interment at 1:30pm at Great Lakes National Cemetery. Please meet directly at the cemetery by 1:15pm.
Armina was a great giver to many charities, including veteran charities. In that light, memorial gifts may be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org)