Spotlight on an Abilene Resident: Lester Green

In addition to taking photographs, Bill Jeffcoat liked to write about the history and people of Abilene.  Many of his writings were featured in the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle newspaper as Letters to the Editor.  The following was written by Bill Jeffcoat about Lester Green:

He grew up in Abilene and worked for Red Wheeler at the Chronicle newspaper in the front office.  When this paper merged with the Reflector, Lester moved along with Red and worked in the front office there and along the road, he was in charge of circulation.  With Charles Harger being head man, after Red died in about 1941, he asked Lester to get interested in taking photos for the paper, and Les entered into this with lots of interest.  He bought a camera and his supplies from Jeffcoat’s Photo Store, and this is how, I got to know him.

When stores stayed open on Saturday nights, Les would come in and we would discuss film and paper, and the nic nacs of taking a photo.  He was high strung and got nervous on assignment, and one time, he felt he had under exposed some negatives, and asked us to force develop his film, which we did.  Being very religious, when Harger asked him to take photos of greyhound racing, he refused. 

Les got married late in life, and with his wife, Wilma, they both were so very happy. When I asked him to autograph this photo, he was so pleased. To know Lester Green, and his life, was an experience and a delight.