Lester W. Trainor

Boonville- Lester W. Trainor, 94, a long-time resident of Ford St. and husband of Nancy, passed away at Sunset Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Boonville, on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Les was born in Rome, on September 18, 1925, a son of Byron W. and Jessie Reigler Trainor. He grew up on the Trainor homestead farm, on the Osceola Road, near West Leyden and received his education at West Leyden Central School. In 1942, during his junior year in high school, Les left school, to work on his family's farm. In June of 1943, he returned to school in order to take his exams and graduated from West Leyden Central School, with the Class of 1943. While in high school he enjoyed participating on the basketball team. After graduation, he continued to work on his family's dairy farm. On April 10, 1948, Les was united in marriage with the love of his life, Nancy Roberts, at the First Baptist Church of Rome. This was a loving and happy union of 67 years, until Nancy passed away on June 14, 2015. During the 1950's Les began many years of employment as an attendant and auto mechanic at Bourgeois Esso Station, in downtown Boonville. Later he was employed part time at the Boonville Post Office, before many years of full time employment at the post office, first as a letter carrier, before retiring in 1987, as a Postal Clerk. During bad winter snowstorms, Les made sure "that the mail got through," by resorting to his snowmobile to facilitate mail delivery, over his large village mail route. Stories of these unusual mail delivery feats were featured in the national newspapers. Beginning in 1987 and for many years thereafter, he was employed part time for Trainor Funeral Home, Boonville. Les was a great story teller, who was gifted with a keen, brilliant mind and a great sense of humor and wit. For his entire life, Les was always attentive to the needs of others; a person who enjoyed helping others in their times of need. For Les and his beloved wife, Nancy, everyday became an adventure and later, an interesting story and a memory to be treasured by many! Beginning in his youth, Les enjoyed all kinds of machinery, especially vintage motor cars. Over the years he and Nancy and his family greatly enjoyed rides and trips in his 1929 year Ford Model A, 1924, Ford Model T and a Ford wood sided station wagon. He also enjoyed taking many friends for rides in his cars and he also owned vintage cars from the 1950's and early 1970's. There was not an automobile from any age which Les was not a walking encyclopedia on. In later years, Les, Nancy, Fr. Sean O'Brien and friends from a Model T. club which they belonged to, enjoyed Model T car trips to places as far away as Detroit, MI and also ventures into Canada. He and Nancy enjoyed displaying their cars at a summertime cruise in and at The Constable Hall Car Show. In addition to his automobile interests and adventures, Les enjoyed a lifelong fascination with and ownership of Harley Davidson Motorcycles. For many years he and Nancy were members of the Harley Dressers Association, Harley Motorcycle Club. He, Nancy and friends enjoyed many motorcycle trips throughout New York State, New England and Canada. When not "at the wheel of an automobile, or on the seat of a motorcycle," Les had a great interest in aviation. During his youth, he enjoyed flying in many kinds of small planes. Many years ago he earned a pilot's permit and thereafter many an air adventure featured Les in the pilot's seat of the aircraft, accompanied by the pilot, who was often his cousin Hugh Trainor or friend Bill Douquet. His flying days included many adventures flying over central and northern New York State, including evening flights to Syracuse or Albany, "just for a cup of coffee." A man for all seasons, during the winters Les and Nancy enjoyed many snowmobile trips and adventures throughout the Boonville area, often extending into the Adirondack Mountains. Les was a student of local history and also of the Civil War. He and Nancy enjoyed traveling to many Civil War reenactments. He was a member of the First Baptist Church, of Boonville. For many years Les enjoyed being a timer for the Lumberjack competitions at the annual NYS Woodsmen's Field Days, in Boonville and for many years he enjoyed volunteering in the Fair Museum, during the Boonville-Oneida County Fair. Most of all, Lester greatly loved his wife and his four daughters and his family. He is survived by daughters, Deborah and son in law, Dale Liddle, Forestport, Donna and son in law Matthew Ripp, Boonville, Diane and son in law, Chester Worden, West Branch and Rebecca Oeschger and her partner, Gerald Krusper, Greig, NY and by 18 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by a grandson, Samuel Trainor Ripp, in 1986, by a brother, Howard Trainor, in 1996 and by a sister, Norma Palmer. His family extends a note of heartfelt thanks and great appreciation to the staff of Sunset Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Boonville, for the kind and compassionate care rendered to Les during his time at the facility. His services will be private with interment in Boonville Cemetery. Later his family plans to hold a Memorial Service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Rome P.O. Box 4572, Rome, NY 13442, or to Sunset Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Resident Activities Fund, 232 Academy St. Boonville, NY 13309. His funeral arrangements are in care Trainor Funeral Home, Inc. Boonville.