Father and Son Remember
Posted 5/6/2015
When I met Lester Winterberg, his sense of humor was immediately apparent when I asked his last name and he responded with, “
I joined Lester and his son Dwayne at Grace Adult Day Services–Altoona, the place where Lester spends his days while his family is at work. The tenderness in the father-son relationship was as apparent as Lester’s sense of humor.
Lester moved to Eau Claire two-and-a-half years ago when he could no longer stay alone at the homestead where he and his wife, Bessie, lived until her passing. Now, he lives with Dwayne’s family.
I asked Lester about his years serving in the 104th “Timberwolf” Division of the Infantry from 1944 to 1945, and he told his story of travels in Europe from France to Germany. As we talked, Lester and Dwayne artfully tag-teamed the storytelling.
Whenever Lester’s memory clouded, Dwayne picked up with his own recollection of the stories his dad had told over the years. We talked about Lester’s nearly losing his feet from
“They met the week before he went into training and then he came back on leave and they actually got engaged,” Dwayne said. “The second time he came back they got married.”
“Have I still got her?” Lester looked
“
“Yeah, but I did have her up…” Lester searched for words.
“Yeah, 68 years.” Both smiled.
Lester talked about his time serving as
He told of close calls with trip lines and enemy booby traps. “And I’m still here. You know why? I had a mom and dad praying for me. ” Once again, Lester’s voice was thick with emotion.
A lot has changed since Lester served in World War II. He progressed from turkey farmer to crop farmer, then to dairy farmer to beef farmer and in the later years to an operator of excavation equipment.
The relationship between Lester and Dwayne has also progressed over the years. Where once they had a 40-year tradition of an annual fishing trip to Canada, now they have new traditions. Lester spends days at Grace Adult Day Services going fishing, playing Bingo, going bowling, taking walks outside, and playing mind-stimulating games while Dwayne is at work.
When both return home at the end of the day, they bond over Wheel of Fortune and recorded episodes of other favorite shows.
“He loves Price is Right,” said Dwayne. He said he also loves fried chicken. “He’s a fried chicken, mashed potatoes
“You want some?” asked Lester.
I know he meant it. After 30 minutes with Lester and Dwayne, I saw
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Grace Lutheran Communities has been helping our friends and neighbors in communities all over the Chippewa Valley since 1960. The non-profit organization specializes in rehabilitation, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care, child care, independent living, and adult day services.