LESTER LEE GRAU

1960 - 1988

Lester Grau was in the Iowa Army National Guard located in Corning, IA.
He completed his training at Fort Benning, GA. on February 4, 1987. His unit was Company A, First Battalion, 168th Infantry of the Iowa Army National Guard.

Lester, front row, second from left

He had many medals in Rifle & Fitness during his short life in the service of his country. Lester was very active in recruiting young men in his area.

Lester was born on October 30, 1960 to Thomas and Ann (Littell) Grau and he died on November 5, 1988 in a car accident by Cresent, IA. He and two other National Guard Members were on their way to Camp Dodge, Des Moines.
He was buried with full Military Honors at the Manning Cemetery on his Grandfather Emil and Grandmother Magda Grau's plot.

Lester was never married and had no children.
3 of his nephews are in the military; Matthew David Gore, Michael Thomas Gore & Nathan Grau. Matthew & Michael are both in the Iowa Army National Guard in Carroll, IA. and are the sons of David Gore and Barbara (Grau) Gore both of Manning.
Nathan is in the U.S. Navy and is stationed in Oak Harbor, Washington and is the son of Bob Grau of Corning, IA.

Lester Grau is buried in the Manning Cemetery.
Section B Row #14 south - north.


Lester's uniform and US Flag

Funeral services for Lester Lee Grau were held Tuesday, November 8, 1988 at 3:30 p.m. at Ohde Funeral Home in Manning, Iowa. Pastor Robert Riggert from Zion Lutheran Church in Manning and Chaplain Dwight E. Rengstorf of the Iowa Army National Guard officiated the service with Paula Weiss as organist and Margaret Backhaus as vocalist.

Interment was in Manning City cemetery. Casketbearers, members of the Iowa Army National Guard, were SPC Sonny A. Groves, SPC Donald J. Ashenfelter, SPC Paul B. Outhier, SPC Gary G. Snyder, SGT Neal E. McElwain, and SPC Kevin P. Braun.
Military honors were held by Company A, First Battalion, 168th Infantry, Iowa Army National Guard.

Lester, son of Thomas and Ann Littell Grau, was born October 30, 1960 at Carroll, Iowa. Lester was educated in the Manning schools and was graduated from Manning High School in 1979.
Following his graduation Lester attended Des Moines Area Community College where he was trained as a diesel mechanic. Immediately following graduation he went to Oklahoma where he worked for a large equipment dealership. He then had his own repair business for about 2 1/2 years. Three years ago Lester returned to Iowa and made his home in the Corning area where he farmed with his brother, Bob.
It was at this time that he joined Company A, First Battalion, 168th Infantry of the Iowa Army National Guard in Adams County.

Lester died early Saturday morning, November 5, 1988 in an auto accident west of Creston, Iowa at the age of 28 years and 6 days.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Emil Grau and by his grandmother, Lucille Littell.

Lester is survived by his parents, Thomas and Ann Grau, of Manning; by the following brothers and sisters: Barbara and her husband, David Gore, of Manning; Dean Grau and his wife, Cindy, of Manning; Thomas Grau, Jr. and his wife, Carla, of Dallas Texas; Robert Gran and his wife, Andrea, of Corning; Nancy and her husband, Joe Anheier, of Pensacola, Florida; and Steve Grau and his fiancee, Melody Ross, of Des Moines; by his grandmother, Magda Grau, of Manning; by his grandfather, D. R. Littell and his wife, Ella, of Mesa, Arizona; by 7 nephews; by 4 nieces; and by aunts, uncles, other relatives and friends.