Lester Helget was born on March 24, 1942, in Eden Township, Brown County, Minnesota, the son of Wendelin and Veronica “Fronie” (Fischer) Helget. He attended country school and St. Mary’s Catholic school. He spent his entire life on the farm. Farm life was his passion! He loved everything about it – the dedication, hard work, milking cows, his horses in the pasture, working alongside family and spending his days outside. He enjoyed sharing stories of the past, passing on his treasured memories and experiences for all to learn from.
Les married Ruth Berg on August 23, 1966, at Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm, Minnesota. The couple made their home in rural Sleepy Eye where they raised their family and enjoyed life on the farm. They had five children – Dean, Gregory, Dorine, Galen and Daniel.
He was a member of St Mary’s Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and First District Association.
Les treasured day-to-day farming, doing chores and passing on his hard work ethic and strong faith to his children as they grew up. He milked cows for 57 years and continued to farm with his children until his death. He was full of pride in being a grandpa! Nothing excited him more than a visit from one of his grandchildren. It was his favorite time to share stories, spoil them with candy and ice cream and take them for a drive on his gator. He enjoyed spending his free time with family and friends, listening and dancing to area polka bands, tending to his horses and driving his John Deere gator around the farm.
Lester is survived by his wife, Ruth Helget; children, Dean and his wife Karen, Greg and his wife Jill, Dorine and her husband Rick, Galen, and Danny (Nort) and his fiancé Carolyn; fifteen grandchildren; two great grandchildren; sister, Phyllis Sellner; along with brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Wallace Helget and his wife, Ethel; and brother-in-law, Ronald Sellner.