Page created by: Lauren Durst

The Reverend Lester Earle Durst, of Valrico, Florida, passed away on June 22, 2016 after a brief and sudden illness. He was 65.

Lester was born and raised in Sarasota, Florida, where he met his wife of 43 years, Carolyn. They were high school sweethearts and attended Stetson University together before marrying. Lester then graduated from the University of Florida with a law degree and practiced with the Farr Law Firm in the Punta Gorda area for more than a decade.

With the birth of their children, Michael and Lauren, in 1981 and 1983, Lester took on his most important job as Dad.

Soon after, Lester answered God's call to the ministry, attended Virginia Theological Seminary, and was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1991. Fr. Durst served at The Church of the Redeemer (Sarasota), St. John's (Tampa), St. Peter's (Plant City), St. Christopher's (Pensacola), and St. Mary's (Tampa) before retiring due to Parkinson's Disease in 2008. His ministry touched many over the years.

Lester was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2000 and showed us all how to live with grace. Though Parkinson's Disease made parts of his life difficult, he never made it difficult for those who loved him.

Lester loved to read, walk fast, tell "dad jokes", and drink chocolate milkshakes -- his granddaughter Margaret calls the slurping sound a "Granddaddy noise". He's known for saying "Smile! It makes 'em nervous" and knew it applied in most situations.