Lester L. Soyland, 80, of Hiawatha, Kansas, passed away on Monday, June 7, 2021 at the Maple-Heights Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hiawatha, Kansas.  

He was born on March 17, 1941 in Horton, Kansas, the son of Sam and Agnes Tollefson Soyland. He was a member of the Everest Zion Lutheran Church where he served on the church board and as the cemetery sexton. Lester lived and farmed in the Everest area until he retired in 2004. He then went on to drive a school bus for 18 years, first for the Horton school district and later the Hiawatha school district. He was a loving father, husband and enjoyed spending time with family. On August 21, 1960 he married Carolyn Sue Ireland at the Methodist Church in Everest, Kansas.

Survivors include his wife of the home; two daughters, Michelle and Dan Leif of Lee's Summit, Missouri and Susan and Chris Gormley of Grain Valley, Missouri; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two sisters, Dorothy Vaughan of Lenexa, Kansas and Donna and Richard Lanter of Horton, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Genette Harris, a sister Kathy Benneka and his parents.

Memorial services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at the Zion Lutheran Church north of Everest, Kansas, where the family will greet friends from 10:00 A.M. until service time at the church with a luncheon to follow. Memorials may be made to the Zion Lutheran Memorial Fund and may be sent in care of the Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary. A special message may be sent to the family at www.dishon-maple-chaney.com