Vergas – Lester “Les” David Sunram, 74, sadly passed away February 20, 2023 in his home near Vergas.
Lester was born April 3, 1948, in Park Rapids, to Leonard and Florence (Becker) Sunram. He grew up on the Ponsford Prairie family farm near Park Rapids. The first of six kids, he became a useful farm hand at an early age. He attended Bongo Country School and graduated from Park Rapids High School, Park Rapids. Being the oldest and having an amazing imagination, he provided his siblings with endless adventures, from building and floating rafts, to building tree houses and top-secret shacks deep in the woods. One of the most exciting adventures was when he shot a 500-poound bear at age 16 years.
Following high school, Les volunteered to serve our country for four years in the Air Force. He served at Curacao Island, Eglin AFB FL, Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, Scott AFB TX, Illinois, and Amarillo, TX and Lackland AFBs, TX. He continued his military service and retired from the Air National Guard after many years of service and was honorably discharged. While in Vietnam, he went to Australia for R&R and loved it, always wanting to return there.
Les completed technical school for Civil Engineering, Heavy Equipment Operating and Electrician. During the course of his life, Les wore many hats, beginning with a gopher trapper as a kid and on to be a carpenter, heavy equipment operator, truck driver (both over the road and locally), and master electrician, working at Fisher Electric, Thief River Falls and Jennie-O Turkey Plant, Pelican Rapids.
Les lived in Breckenridge, Alvarado, Dilworth, Thief River Falls, Detroit Lakes and Vergas.
He was married to Darlene Buus on October 8, 1972, at Breckenridge. They lived in Staples, before moving to Dilworth, and then moved to Thief River Falls; they had two children—Lavon and Myron.
Les enjoyed fishing, whether it was from a bridge, his boat or deep-sea fishing in the ocean. He had a talent for making things work, making something useless into something useful and for making people laugh. He always saw the best in people and treated others kindly. He was a great son and a wonderful brother to his siblings, and an amazing father protecting them as needed. Les enjoyed many adventures with his children and grandchildren. He would visit with anyone, and his patience was remarkable. Les had a great sense of humor and could hide it so you didn’t know if he was kidding or not. Les enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren doing things they enjoyed doing, including following their sporting events. He had a deeply personal relationship with Jesus.
Les is survived by his daughter, Lavon (Matt) Carpenter, grandchildren Brittney Stengrim, Gwen Stengrim, Axel Carpenter and Ashton Sunram (Myron’s son) and, his great grandchildren Diesel McGee and Aubree Stengrim, former wife, Darlene (Jack) Abrahamson, his brothers Lorenz. Sunram, Glenn Sunram, and Leonard (Wanda) Sunram, his sisters Karen (Dennis) Kramer and Noreen (Rod) Walsh. He is preceded in death by his parents and his son, Myron.
Memorial service will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at Epiphany Station Church, Thief River Falls.
Visitation will be from 5-6 p.m. at Epiphany Station Church, Thief River Falls.
Burial will be at a later date at Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls.
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