LESTER GREENWOOD, SR.

Lester Greenwood was born to the union of the late James Greenwood and Ida Mae Wright on April 1, 1945 in Waelder, Texas, as the 6th of 8 siblings. Lester grew up on the Eastside of San Antonio, Texas where he attended Dorie Miller Elementary School, Riley Middle School, and Phyllis Wheatley High School, from which he graduated in 1963. He then majored  in Physical Education at St Phillips College in San Antonio, and at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. 

Lester met the love of his life, TiaJuana Collins (Tia), at St Phillips College in 1965 and later married her on June 15, 1967, in Seguin, Texas. To their loving union two children were born, a son, Lester Anthony and a daughter, Charisse LaShawn. Later in life he was also blessed with twin grandchildren, Jaeden Anthony and Jada Marie Greenwood. 

Lester enlisted in the Army on June 22, 1967. His military assignments included Fort Polk Louisiana, Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Carson, Colorado, the Republic of Vietnam, Fort Holabird, Maryland, Darmstadt, Germany, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He served in the Vietnam War from July 1968 to August 1969. His bravery during the Vietnam War earned him a Vietnam Service Medal, a Bronze Star Medal, an Army Commendation Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster, a Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and a Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm (Vietnamese Award). In a weapons proficiency competition with the German Army, Lester was one of a few American Soldiers to earn and be awarded the German Armed Forces Schutzenschnur Marksman Badge. While serving in Germany, he attended and graduated from the prestigious Army Basic Non-commissioned Officer (BNOC) course in Bad Tolz, Germany, and the Equal Opportunity Race Relations Course in Bremerhaven, Germany. As a Race Relations Instructor, he taught courses dealing with race issues to military and civilian personnel. While assigned to the 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles) Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, he attended Air Assault School and earned the 101st Airborne Air Assault Badge. Lester was medically retired from military service in September 1980. 

In May 1981, Lester acquired his Associate of Arts degree in Real Estate Management and began his career as a Realtor in the San Antonio area. In June 1990, he joined his wife when her job transferred to Hanau, Germany. In 1991 he was hired into Federal Civil Service in the Housing Management career field. He retired from Federal Service in May 2008. 

Lester’s favorite pastimes were sports, being outdoors, and traveling. He was a born athlete. As a young man he enjoyed body building, basketball, football, and boxing at the Eastside Boys Club. While in the Army he excelled in playing basketball for his Headquarters and Company units while assigned to Fort Holabird, Maryland and to Darmstadt, Germany, averaging 35 points a game. He was an avid fan of the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Cowboys. Lester was happiest being outdoors doing yard work, and most of all, fishing. He cherished the happy hours he spent fishing with family and friends. Lester had a passion for traveling and he was always ready to travel anywhere. His favorite poem was “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost about taking the road less traveled by. He and his wife, son and daughter traveled extensively to many cities throughout Germany, France, Italy and England during the 17 years he and his wife  lived and worked overseas. His favorite cities were Paris, France and Venice, Italy. 

Lester was a loving and devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, brother-in-law, and friend. He was kind hearted and had good-natured personality. He was friendly with everyone. He loved making people happy and was always ready with a smile. One of his goals in life was to say or do something to make someone smile or laugh every day. He succeeded in doing that every day. 

God took Lester home to his eternal resting place on Sunday, April 12, 2019. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 51 years, TiaJuana C. Greenwood, his son Lester Greenwood, Jr., his daughter Charisse L. Poynter, his grandson Jayden A. Greenwood, his granddaughter Jada M. Greenwood, his brothers Fred, Lawrence and Preston Greenwood, his only living aunt, Betty Greenwood, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, extended family members and friends that he held dear.