This week I learned that Jean Lester, a dear friend and a beloved member of Orange Grove Meeting, passed away at the age of 95. A few years ago I described her as the "glue that holds our meeting together."
She was always very supportive of me and the work that Jill and I are doing around social justice. She was a member of our Meeting's Peace and Social Concerns Committee and faithfully attended our Quaker bible study: even though she didn't believe in miracles, she loved the teachings of Jesus and practiced his most important commandment: to love everyone.  For me her most memorable vocal ministry was a quote from Father Greg Boyle: “forgive everyone everything.”
She was a people person and loved to party. She hosted pool parties at her home every year that we always looked forward to. We first learned of her illness in May when she had to leave my birthday party because she wasn't feeling well.
I did an AI search and would like to share what I learned about Jean's faithful life as a Friend. It's remarkable how AI captured so many details about her life and even described her character with surprising accuracy. I was also surprised that what I wrote about her in my blog was included.
Jean Lester has been a deeply valued member of the Quaker community in Pasadena and a longtime member of Orange Grove Friends Meeting. Her life reflects many of the central Quaker testimonies: faithfulness, peace, equality, service, compassionate listening, and a commitment to putting spiritual values into practice.
Jean was born Jean Fuller in Milford, Ohio. She attended Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, graduating in 1952. She remained connected with her college community throughout her life. A 2021 Western College alumni publication described Jean as doing well and continuing to enjoy reading, home projects, tennis, and participation in Quaker worship with her husband, Cliff.
In 1957 Jean married Herbert Clifford “Cliff” Lester Jr. They had met through the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) while participating in an AFSC workcamp in Mexico. They eventually made their home in Southern California and raised four children: Susan, Jack, Carole, and Jane. Cliff, who died in 2024, was also a longtime and beloved member of Orange Grove Meeting.
Jean's commitment to Quaker service extended well beyond her local meeting. She served on the board of the American Friends Service Committee. The AFSC's 1992 annual report lists Jean Lester among its national board members, reflecting her significant involvement in one of the Religious Society of Friends' most important organizations devoted to peace, justice, and humanitarian service.
She was also active in Pacific Yearly Meeting. In 2002, Jean was among the Friends serving as representatives to the AFSC for Pacific Yearly Meeting, helping connect Friends in Southern California and elsewhere with AFSC's work for peace and social justice.
At Orange Grove Meeting, Jean took on important responsibilities in the spiritual life of the community. In 2017 she served as Clerk of Worship and Ministry. In that role she helped support the spiritual growth of Friends and encouraged participation in retreats, workshops, and other activities that strengthened the life of the Meeting. She also participated in Quaker workshops on spiritual practice, including a 2016 workshop on vocal ministry.
Jean's commitment to social justice was not simply institutional. She personally accompanied people who were vulnerable and marginalized. In 2019, LAist reported on Orange Grove Friends who visited people held at the Adelanto Detention Facility. Jean was one of the Quaker volunteers making those visits. She and another Friend met with an immigrant detainee who had little opportunity to communicate with the outside world. Their presence offered something simple but profoundly important: human companionship and compassionate listening.
Those qualities—listening, compassion, honesty, and a willingness to help people work through difficult situations—were especially evident in Jean's life at Orange Grove Meeting. In a 2018 tribute to the Meeting, Anthony Manousos described Jean as “the glue holding our meeting together.” He wrote that she was deeply committed to Orange Grove Meeting, sought to resolve conflicts in a loving way, and was an exceptionally compassionate listener while also being honest about her own feelings.
That description captures something essential about Jean's contribution. Her ministry was not necessarily one of public recognition or dramatic gestures. Rather, it was the ministry of presence: listening carefully, helping people find common ground, encouraging the Meeting when it struggled, and reminding Friends of the spiritual center that holds a community together.
Jean's life also illustrates the way Quaker faith can move naturally between worship and service. Her work with Orange Grove Meeting, Pacific Yearly Meeting, and AFSC demonstrates a consistent concern for peace, justice, spiritual community, and the dignity of every person.
For generations of Friends, Jean Lester has represented an important dimension of Quaker life: the quiet strength of a person who listens deeply, cares genuinely, and remains committed to community even when relationships become difficult.
Her legacy at Orange Grove Meeting is therefore not simply a list of offices held or organizations served. It is found in the people she listened to, the conflicts she helped heal, the vulnerable people she accompanied, and the spiritual community she helped sustain.
Jean Lester's life reminds us that one of the most powerful forms of leadership is often quiet: to listen, to care, to remain faithful, and to help a community hold together in love.
No comments:
Post a Comment