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Lester Hueser

Lester Hueser, 89, of Hubbard, Iowa, formerly of Quimby, passed away on Sunday, December 15, 2019 at Hubbard Care Center.

Services were at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 21 at Salem United Methodist Church. Burial was in Hubbard Cemetery.  Arrangements are under the direction of Boeke Funeral Home in Hubbard.

Lester Ben Hueser was born on July 10, 1930 in Marcus, Iowa. He was one of nine children born to Benjamin and Mildred (Pitts) Hueser. Les attended Tildren Country School and graduated at the age of 16 from Quimby High School in 1947. He lived most of his childhood in Quimby and had many fond memories of growing up there.

After graduating from high school, he went to the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa and later graduated from Nebraska State Teaching College in Wayne, Nebraska. He met his wife Beverly while at Wayne.

After graduation he was drafted during the Korean War and spent two years in the military. Les was an Army Physical Training Instructor-bayonets at Fort Riley, Kansas from 1952-1954.

Les and Beverly Ashley were then married in July 23, 1954.  They were married for 55 years.

His teaching and coaching career began in Webb, Iowa in 1954. He coached boys and girls basketball, baseball, track and had all the P.E. classes in the school. In the summer of 1960, Les and his family moved to Hubbard, Iowa, where he was a math and P.E. teacher as well as softball and girls basketball coach. He eventually started the girls track program.

He also coached the elementary and junior high girls softball and basketball teams for numerous years.

Les coached seven teams to the state softball tournament, including state titles for Hubbard High School in 1964 & 1965. He was named the State Softball Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1993. In 1989, he was inducted into the Iowa High School Hall of Fame. In 1994, Les was named National Softball Coach of the Year. His overall softball record was 981-472, having coached for 35 years.

Les coached 41 years of basketball, finishing with 702-241 record. He made three state tournament appearances in 1967 and 1974, coached the Hubbard-Radcliffe Rebels team to the last 6 on 6 State Basketball Championship in 1993, being honored as the Iowa Basketball Coach of the Year. Les was quoted saying “Winning the State Basketball Championship was the highlight of my career.”

In 2010, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for Basketball.

He also umpired boys baseball and for 38 years officiated high school and junior college football games. He had many duties while being at Hubbard including Driver’s Ed Teacher, school bus driver, substitute teacher, any other jobs needed to be done at the school and groundskeeper of the softball diamond.

Les retired from teaching and coaching in 1995 taking on the role of Athletic Director for several years. In 2000, Les received the Iowa High School Administrator Award.

Les was a member of Salem United Methodist Church, having served as head usher for 25 years. He was a member of the Hubbard American Legion for 54 years.

He was an avid reader and enjoyed golfing, always tried to get that hole in one, playing cards, traveling, family reunions, and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, which were his pride and joy.

Les passed away on December 15, 2019 at the Hubbard Care Center where he had been a resident for seven years.

He is survived by his three daughters Cindy Grimmius of Altoona, IA; Terri Larson of Hubbard, IA; Mary Lynn (Rick) Miller of Marshalltown, IA and his son Rick Hueser of Bozeman, MT; grandchildren Kendra (Seth) Elliott, Joelle (Lucas) Busard, Kami (Eddie) Covarrubias, Dustin (Rebecca) Baum, Alexa (Ryan) Yarnell, Leah Hueser, McKenna Hueser, Jack Hueser; great-grandchildren Myah and Mason Elliott, Elijah and Samuel Busard, and Addisyn Perry; brothers Bill (Roberta) Hueser, Jerry (Jean) Hueser; sister Peggy Lewis; and sister-in-law Margaret Hueser; along with several cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin and Mildred (Pitts) Hueser; his wife Beverly; his son-in-law, Gene Grimmius; brothers Vernon (Edna) Hueser and Leland Hueser; and sisters Jean (Paul) King, Betty (Lloyd) Dickman and Martha Hueser.

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