Lester L. Nighswonger of Cedar Falls, Iowa, died Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, at Western Home Communities Deery Suites.

He was born on a farm near Viola, Kan., on Sept. 2, 1926, to Paul and Mary (Stinson) Nighswonger. He attended grade school in Viola and graduated from Clearwater High School in 1944. Lester served in the US Navy from August 1944 to July 1946. On April 11, 1953, Lester was united in marriage to Phyllis Louise Fulk at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Geneseo, Ill.
He attended Sterling College and graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor of science in agricultural engineering in 1950. He took additional studies at Wichita State and Iowa State, and was a registered professional mechanical engineer in Iowa.

Lester worked as a design engineer for six years at John Deere Harvester Works and four years at Beech Aircraft. He then worked at John Deere Product Engineering Center in Waterloo, Iowa, retiring in 1987. After retiring, he worked part time for Diedrich Associates in Cedar Falls for 12 years.
Lester worked as a volunteer engineer with US aid projects through VOCA and International Service Corps in Pakistan, Moldova and India. Volunteering to help others was important to Lester. Many hours were spent with Habitat for Humanity, the food bank and friends.
He served the United Presbyterian Church as deacon, trustee, elder, and mission volunteer for two years with Phyllis across the US. He served on the Habitat for Humanity construction board, and boy scout troop committee, was member of the society of automotive engineers, ag engineers, professional engineers.
Lester is survived by his wife: Phyllis of Cedar Falls; his son, Doel (Diana) in Pocahontas, Iowa; his daughter, Nancy Ohnesorge in Saint Joseph, Mo.; grandchildren, Tara (Mike Bland) and Nathan Nighswonger, and Katherine (Von Huber) Ohnesorge and Jennifer (Max Baumann) Ohnesorge; four great-grandchildren, Bo, Ensley, Hattie, and Scout; his sister, Pat (Jack) Kirby of Georgetown, Texas; and his brother, Roger (Linda) Nighswonger of Houston, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his son-in-law, Chuck Ohnesorge; his brother, Doel Nighswonger, and his sister, Lois Butterfield.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, at Trinity Bible Church in Cedar Falls. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31 at Richardson Funeral Service in Cedar Falls. Burial will take place in Greenwood Cemetery in Cedar Falls.
Memorials may be directed to church. Online guestbook is available at www.richardsonfuneralservice.com.