Lester Robert Drinkwater

Harvard – Lester Robert Drinkwater, 88, of Harvard, died Monday, Jan 3, 2022, at Northwestern McHenry Hospital.  He was born March 25, 1933, in Oxford, Wisconsin to John and Viola Drinkwater.  On August 8, 1970 he married Olivia Borgeson.

Lester worked in agriculture and dairy farming for several years in Oxford, Wisconsin.  In 1965 Lester moved to Illinois and continued his career as a farmer and in 1969 he met his wife Olivia.  Lester also bought and sold real estate.  He was a member at the Harvard Moose Lodge and had an avid love for restoring John Deere tractors and collecting toy tractors.   He loved gardening, flowers and canning vegetables with Olivia. Lester enjoyed going to tractor/toy shows and participating in Tractor club rides. Lester also enjoyed traveling.  He enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and loved them all so much.  He was a founder of the Kilbourn Cooperative in Wisconsin Dells, Wi.  He belonged to the Boone County 2 cylinder club and Old Cranks AACA car club.  

Lester is survived by his wife Olivia, and six children, Janice (Russell) Leslie, Kristi (Dave) Parrish, Lois (Douglas) Bulman, Ronald (Barbara) Drinkwater, Allison (Brian) Dahl, His grandchildren, Cheryl Conklin, Patrick Ryan, Erin Parrish, Justin Parrish, Steven Drinkwater, Christina Karg, and Bradley, Rachel, and Brayden Dahl, as well as numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews

He was preceded in death by his parents John and Viola Drinkwater, his son Randall Robert Drinkwater, nephew Mike Henningsen, and David Manke, his brothers Arthur, Floyd, Harold “Joe”, and Bernard “Butch” Drinkwater, and sisters Faye Newbury and Shirley Labrenz.

Visitation will be at 10am-12pm followed by a 12:00 p.m. service, on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 504 E. Diggins St., Harvard, IL with Pastor Elizabeth Martin officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Harvard.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Trinity Lutheran Church.  Friends and family may sign the online guest book at www.saundersmcfarlin.net

For more information, please contact the funeral home at 815-943-5400.

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