Honoring the Memory
of Those
We Love

July 11, 1921 - September 14, 2014

Warren Edward Lester, P.E. Age 93, on Sunday, September 14, 2014, of Whitehall.

Husband of Margaret Sands Lester; father of Linda Harvey (James) of Bel Air, MD; Warren E. Lester, II (Kathleen) of Wilmington, NC and Coleen Lester, of Whitehall, PA; grandfather of 8 and great-grandfather of 13. Warren was a Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Engineer who was a pioneer in the development of methods and techniques for the manufacturing and fabrication of nuclear hardware and assemblies for various Westinghouse Nuclear operations covering a span of 28 years. Before his work at Westinghouse during World War II, he sailed Merchant Ships as an Engineering Officer with a Marine Engineers License from early 1942 through 1946. In March 1942, Warren enlisted in the U.S. Maritime Service and was sent to Hoffman Island in New York harbor for training. In July 1942, he was assigned to a freighter on its way to Baffin Bay in the North Atlantic Artic Circle to deliver equipment and manpower for a large airport being built to protect the northern hemisphere from a possible Russian air attack. Warren then made seven Atlantic crossings to war ports in France, Italy, Egypt, Iran, Africa and others. He was chosen to attend the Merchant Marine Academy at Fort Trumbel where he graduated with a Marine Engineers License covering steam and diesel engine ships of unlimited size and horsepower. After graduation, he was assigned to deliver service personal and supplies from Australia to the Philippine Islands during the invasion. After the war, the Maritime Service War Shipping Administration awarded Warren the East War Zone Bar, Atlantic War Zone Bar, Mediterranean Middle East War Zone Bar, Pacific War Zone Bar, Philippines Liberation Bar and the Merchant Marine Combat Bar. Upon returning to Pittsburgh in 1946, Warren resumed his machinist apprentice program he started in 1940 prior to enlisting in the Merchant Marines. In 1949, Warren joined Kerotest as a toolmaker manufacturing large valves for the US Navy; he then went to work for Continental Can as a die maker. In 1952, Warren joined Westinghouse Atomic Power Division at Bettis Atomic Power as a research machinist. In 1955, Warren was promoted to Manufacturing Engineer. After two years in this capacity, Warren was appointed Resident Engineer for 1 year at a subcontractor in Rockford, IL to assist in the everyday manufacturing of the Skipjack Submarine reactor components. In 1962, Warren transferred to the startup of the Westinghouse Astronuclear Laboratory as a Senior Manufacturing Engineer. He worked there for seven years on the Nerva Nuclear Reactor Rocket planned for a trip to Mars. After a series of successful desert tests, the plan was shelved for a later date when the US Government decided to make a Moon landing before a Mars landing. With the delay of the Mars Project, Warren transferred in 1969 to the new Westinghouse Pensacola Division in Florida. This division was established for the sole purpose of manufacturing and assembly of large components and the final assembly of the completed Nuclear Care Support structures ready for shipment. After shipment of the first two Reactor assemblies Warren was transferred back to Pittsburgh in 1970 and was assigned as Manufacturing Resident Engineer at Newport New Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company for Westinghouse Advanced Reactors Division in Madison, PA. In 1975, he went to work at the Allis Chalmers Plant in York, PA as a Resident Engineer for the manufacturing and the development of the first Breeder Reactor in the United States. In 1980, Warren was transferred to the Westinghouse Cheswick Division as Senior Manufacturing Engineer to design the LMFBR Pump. This 400 ton pump was capable of pumping 85,000 gallons per minute for future Nuclear Power Plants. After Warren retired from Westinghouse, Cheswick, PA, he continued to work part-time for the next 10 years as an independent Consultant on the government Vitrification Project in New York State. The project was to incase radioactive sludge into glass containment logs for safe shipment and storage in the salt mines of New Mexico. The Vitrification Project was successfully completed during the middle of the 90's when Warren then retired permanently. Friends will be received at the John F. Slater Funeral Home, Inc., 412-881-4100, 4201 Brownsville Road, Brentwood 15227, on Tuesday from 2-8 pm. Funeral Prayer on Wednesday morning at 9:15, Mass of Christian Burial at St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin Church, Whitehall at 10. Interment will take place in Jefferson Memorial Park, Pleasant Hills, PA with full military honors.