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Obituary for Lester Willoughby Kellogg
Lester Willoughby Kellogg, 96, passed away peacefully in his daughter’s home on December 28, 2015.
Les was born on January 12, 1919, in Orange, New Jersey, the youngest of five children to Harry and Alicia (nee. Willoughby) Kellogg. Les grew up in Queens, New York, and was only three years old when his father died. As a single mother of five children, his mother taught Les from an early age the qualities of hard work and caring for family. He began delivering pies from his mother’s restaurant at age five, and had his own paper route. By seven he had purchased his own new bike.
He was always an active, accomplished man and after working in the Detroit Armory from 1943-45, he spent most of his life in sales. Les worked with the Graham and White Ford Dealership in Milford. He then opened Huron Valley Motor Sales, a Mercury Dealership, with John Wilson on the corner of Milford Road and M-59. He later sold hearses and ambulances and other items. Les invented a specially designed vehicle, called the Planter, which allowed caskets to be lowered directly from the hearse-type vehicle to the cemetery plot.
In 1941, Les married Helen Reed and together they raised two children. Their daughter, Beth was born three days after Pearl Harbor, in California. Gail was born in 1945 in Detroit. The family made their home with Helen’s parents in Michigan until moving to White Lake in 1948. Les married Karleen Kirchner in 1999 and they made their home in Farmington.
Les was very active member of Farmington Elk Lodge #1986 for over fifty years. At age fifty-five, he obtained a pilots license and flying became his passion in life. He enjoyed flying planes, especially the Stearman, until his eightieth birthday when he was forced to stop by the cost of the insurance. He was also a very active volunteer with the Yankee Air Force Museum. Les was a strong willed, hardworking, independent man who will be dearly missed.
In addition to Karleen, his wife of 16 years, Les is survived by his loving daughter, Gail (Gary) Pollock; Karleen’s daughters, Jane and Leann Meixner; grandchildren, Randolph J. (Amy) Pollock, Michelle (M. Patrick) Wade, N. Jeffrey Reed, Paula Lazaroff; twelve great grandchildren and extended family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Beth Kellogg Lazaroff and granddaughter, Tracy Beth Lazaroff.
Farmington Elk Lodge #1986 will offer a Lodge of Sorrows Service at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 404 E. Liberty St., Milford on Friday, January 1, 2016 at 2 PM. Visitation will be held on Friday from 11 AM until the service.
For further information phone Lynch & Sons, Milford at 248-684-6645.
Previous Events
Visitation
Friday
1
Jan
11:00 AM1/1/2016 11:00:00 AM
- 2:00 PM
1/1/2016 2:00:00 PM
