Lester Langeland lived his life for Farm Bureau, said Sharon Carlson, former county administrative manager for Ottawa County Farm Bureau.
“Because without Farm Bureau, we don’t have much,” added John Vanderkooi, former Ottawa County president who knew Langeland for 60 years. “Lester and I believed that.”
An active member of Ottawa County Farm Bureau who enrolled five new members annually for 30 years, Langeland died July 25, 2024, following a monthlong illness. He was 96.
Any time he walked in a room he grabbed your attention, said Adam Dietrich, current Ottawa president.
“He was widely respected but very humble,” Dietrich said. “People listened when Lester spoke: ‘Lester’s here. Let’s see what he has to say.’”
That went for membership and fair legislation for Michigan farmers, topics he cared deeply about.
Born a few years before The Great Depression to John and Jennie (Stroven) Langeland, Lester was a lifelong farmer, growing various crops near Coopersville. Today the fourth-generation farm is run by sons Merle and Marlin and their children, Becky, Austin, and Anthony.
Outside the farm, Lester in 2018 achieved a Lifetime Membership Award from Michigan Farm Bureau and became the first volunteer to enroll five or more regular members annually for 30 years. The organization also named a scholarship after him and his wife Adrianna, which awards the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Dozens of students have already received the $1,000 scholarships.
“He was a very good man,” Carlson said. “He had a beautiful family. I mean, he was just a well-loved man who would come to me at different times after work to check on people, what I knew about them, and so on. Lester and Adrianna were always a part of the membership. I have never seen anybody so involved.”
Lester was also active in FFA, Ottawa County Soil Conservation, local government, Lamont Christian Reformed Church and Lamont Christian School.
He is preceded in death by Adrianna (Sall) Langeland; parents John and Jennie (Stroven) Langeland; his brother Leon; and granddaughter Kendra Geffert. He is survived by his sister, Betty Kingma, and his Sall in-laws Viola Sall, Joyce Langeland, Don and Judy Sall, Eleanor Sall, Bev Sall, and Jerry and Joyce Sall. He will also be missed by his seven children: Marcia (Ricky) Draft, Mary (Morrie) Dieleman, Melinda (Mike) Dykstra, Merle (Lori) Langeland, Margo (Steve) Kol, Melody, and Marlin (Glynda) Langeland; 22 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to Lamont Christian School, 5260 Leonard St, Coopersville, MI, 49404, or World Renew, 8970 Byron Commerce Drive SW, Byron Center, MI, 49315.
Learn more about Lester here. To plant a tree in his memory, visit the Sympathy Store.
“Everybody knew Lester,” said MFB President Carl Bednarski. “He was an icon in the Farm Bureau world and a great role model to so many.”