Corrected Obituary for Barbara J. "Janie" Fitzwater Lester

September 29, 1945 - March 1, 2024

On March 1, 2024, at Winchester Medical Center, Barbara Jane "Janie" Fitzwater Lester, age 78, while surrounded by family, was called by her loving Savior to come to her heavenly home.  She had been dealing with health issue for only the past two months.

Janie was born in Harrisonburg, VA hospital to the late George L. and Clarice Snider Fitzwater of Mathias, WV on September 29, 1945.  She graduated from Mathias High School in 1963 as valedictorian.  She was a cheerleader and Glee Club member in school.  She went on to graduate from Shepherd College, Shepherdstown, WV with a degree in elementary education.

She began her teaching career as a third grade teacher at Wardensville Elementary School where she taught for 15 plus years.    In 1982 she and her first husband attended the community college near Hedgesville WV and graduated with LPN certifications two years later.   They set up an in home nursing care operation which they ran for several years.  Janie then went to work at the E.A. Hawse Nursing Home at Baker, WV.  After her first husband's death, she returned to substitute teaching in the late nineties until she retired.

Janie was a very 'caring' person.  During her lifetime she cared for children she taught, as a professional caregiver in her home, for friends and neighbors in her community, many of her family members during their final years, and friends and family during operations and illnesses through the years.  Caregiving was her gift from God.

She was a member of the Mathias Brethren Church from her childhood until the mid-80's when she joined the Independent Community Church on Turley Town Rd, Singers Glen.  She was an avid piano player.  She served as a fulltime pianist at her home church her whole life and played for many weddings, funerals, school events, Christmas pageants, nursing homes, family get-togethers, sing-a-longs and with her sister, Annabelle, just any ole time for fun.

Besides caregiving and piano playing, Janie was a member of the 4-H All Stars and leader of several 4-H clubs.  She enjoyed helping with 4-H Camps well into her later years.  She did volunteer work with the Brethren Central organization.  She was an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution Society (DAR) where she once served as Vice Regent.

On October 29, 2003 she married Donald W. Lester who survives.  She is also survived by her sister, Annabelle F. Vance who resided with her.  Also surviving is a nephew, Leonard Fitzwater (Ellen); step daughters Linda Kay Alger (Mike), and Brenda Fay Furshee (David); step grandchildren Kaylee Cubbage (Jeremy), Rebecca Alger and Naomi Alger.  Preceding her in death were her first husband, Charles 'Chuck' Eayers, married in 1980 and who passed away in 1998; her brother, S. Ward Fitzwater (2001) and wife Della (2020); and her brother-in-law, Loring 'Jim' Vance in 2023.

Pastor Richard Delawder and Pastor Jim Corbitt will conduct the services: a graveside service Wednesday, March 6 at 1:00 pm at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Mathias, WV and followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 3:00 pm at the Independent Community Church, 9841 Turleytown Rd, Singers Glen, Va.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday evening from 6:00-8:00 pm, and friends may stop by the funeral home from 9-8 on Tuesday.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the 4-H Camp Fund, c/o Hardy County Extension Office, 144 Emergency Lane, Moorefield, WV 26836; or Independent Community Church, PO Box 728, Broadway, VA 22815.