Lester Landgren

LESTER LLOYD LANDGREN was born on January 28, 1956, to Loren and Velma (Lange) Landgren in Pipestone, MN. He was baptized on February 16, 1956 and confirmed on May 23, 1971 at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Lester grew up in Pipestone where he was involved in many activities including, 4-H, theater, and enjoyed fishing with his Grandpa and Grandma Landgren, and celebrating the 4th of July with lots of fireworks. He graduated from Pipestone High School in 1974. Lester attended Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota, where he studied Radio and T.V. Communications and Art. Following college, Lester hitchhiked across the United States, all the way south to Florida and west to California. He loved telling stories of his time sleeping on the beaches, hitching rides with strangers, and catching barracuda with friends. Lester was united in marriage to Collene Frederiksen on August 3, 1980, in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. Together they lived in various places including Volga, Aurora, Brookings, and Sisseton in South Dakota, Oaks and Bismarck in North Dakota, and Duluth and Minneapolis in Minnesota. They finally settled down to make their home in Pipestone in 1987 and were blessed with four children: Danielle, Amberlie, Luke, and Magdalene. Lester was a self-taught computer geek and worked in Technology sales and service in Sioux Falls before starting his own business in Pipestone in 1994. He continued this business throughout his life. In the last 15 years his business contracts had him travelling throughout the country installing and maintaining all different kinds of tech. He had many stories to tell of all the places he had visited while working, including New York, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Washington, Montana and everywhere in between. He was known as the “Computer Guy” to many people and would help anyone with their computer problems. His most common response was to turn it off and restart it, whatever the device; computer, cell phone, tablet. Lester passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Sunday, September 12, 2021, at the Avera Mckennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at the age of 65 years, seven months, and 15 days.

Lester was a member of Christ the King Free Lutheran Church in Pipestone where he taught Sunday school, was a trustee, and started a puppet ministry with his family. The ministry grew to involve many youth and they traveled in the tri-state area putting on shows for churches, libraries, and nursing homes. Lester was involved in 4-H, helped with Civil War days, and many other organizations. He could often be found behind the video camera during events at the Pipestone Performing Arts Center and at weddings for friends and family. He enjoyed fishing everywhere he went and with anyone who would go with him, especially his grandsons and children. Lester and Collene loved traveling, spending time at the beach, and collecting coffee mugs and sand from all the places they had visited. Lester also enjoyed going to the movies with family and in recent years spending almost every Friday night eating pizza and playing Fortnite with his grandsons. He would always go to the local car shows and loved stopping to look at any vintage car he saw. Lester was friends with everyone and was always ready to stop and chat for hours. He will be remembered for all his crazy stories, kindness, infectious smile, and great big hugs.

Lester is lovingly remembered by his wife of 41 years, Collene Landgren of Pipestone; children, Danielle (William) Schumacher of Tempe, Arizona, Amberlie (Eric) Haak of Pipestone, Luke Landgren of Pipestone, and Magdalene (Devin) Locke of Spokane, Washington; three grandchildren, Wesley, Charles, and James Haak; brothers, Lyle (Ann) Landgren of Texas and Larry (Rebecca) Landgren of Flandreau, South Dakota; 5 brothers-in-law; 7 sisters-in-law; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Loren and Velma; sister, Bonnie Daniels; grandparents, Rudolph and Rose Landgren, and Carl and Lillian Lange; and one brother-in-law, David Baker.