Obituary of Lester A. LeCates

Lester A. LeCates, age 95 of Hammonton, passed away on Monday June 25, 2012 at Virtua Hospital in Berlin. Mr. LeCates was born and raised in the Cramer Hill section of Camden City. In his youth, he played quarterback for the Cramer Hill Wildcats football team and developed a lifelong love for football and the Philadelphia Eagles. Lester had worked at Gimbels and RCA but had made a career as a salesman and interior designer for JB Vansciver in Camden for 33 years before retiring in 1979. Mr. LeCates raised his family in Oaklyn for 35 years and enjoyed vacationing in Cape Cod, MA until 1996 before settling down to retired life in Hammonton, where he's lived for the last 33 years. Lester was intelligent, quick and witty. He enjoyed golf, politics and was an avid reader. Mr. LeCates was a 32nd Degree Mason and had been a member of the Audubon Parkside Lodge F&AM, Lodge 218 and the Excelsior Scottish Rite Consistory in Collingswood for 65 years. Mr. Lecates had found his love in Avalon and is survived by his devoted wife of 71 years, Doris M. (nee Funk) LeCates of Hammonton. He is the father of Jackie Whitfield of Mt. Laurel and the brother of; Dorothy Montana, Dolores Brown, Margaret Struhm, Howard, Richard and Arthur LeCates and the late Mary Palmer & Robert LeCates. Lester is also survived and will be sadly missed by his many nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends are invited to join the LeCates family to remember and pay tribute to Lester on Saturday afternoon between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm at the LeRoy P. Wooster Funeral Home & Crematory 441 White Horse Pike, Atco where Masonic services and a memorial ceremony will be celebrated at 12:30 pm. Inurnment will be held privately. As an expression of sympathy and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Samaritan Hospice 5 Eves Dr. Suite 300 Marlton, NJ 08053.