LESTER JAY AUTEN III
60, of Cass City, passed away peacefully Friday, March 10, 2023 in Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit. He was born April 26, 1962 in a military hospital in El Paso, TX to Lester Jr. and Beverley (Wagner) Auten. He married Donna Marie Burleson on October 1, 1983 in Novesta Church of Christ, Cass City.
Les graduated in 1980 from Cass City High School, continued his education at Lincoln Tech and Delta College, and worked for General Motors as a Journeyman Toolmaker for twenty-eight years. He loved spending time outdoors fishing, hunting, and bird watching. Les liked target practicing with his brother,
sons-in-law, brother-in-law and niece, Jeannine Day (who affectionately called him ‘kidney-twin’ as she donated her kidney to Uncle Les in 2017). Together, he and his favorite canine companion Max were inseparable. They enjoyed visiting the ball diamond to play fetch and shopping in Tractor Supply Company. Les took an annual trip to Tawas which started as an anniversary getaway. This tradition continued with his family for many years, renting cabins and enjoying family time.
Family was the most important thing to Les. They all looked forward to Saturday because that was family day. A busy day spent with their daughters, sons-in-law, and eight grandchildren. They would have dinner, play games, especially Euchre, and just laugh and joke around. This was always a very happy and loud day that they enjoyed together. He was the provider for his family, they were his priority. Les enjoyed nothing more than making his girls and grandbabies happy. He was affectionately referred to as “Beepa” or grandpa. It was said that to have known him was to have loved him.
Les is survived by his wife, Donna of Cass City; daughters: Laura (Jeff) Murray of Vassar, Samantha (Paul) Gaeth of Cass City; eight grandchildren: Julian, Madeleine, Jackson, Israel, Ruby, Lilith, August and Eloise; his parents, Lester and Beverley Auten of Cass City; brothers: Paul (Deb) Auten of Decker, Russ (Jill) Auten of Twin Lake; sister, Julie (Mark) Mozdzen of Deford; brothers-in-law: James Burleson of AR; Robert (Cindy) Burleson of Deford; sister-in-law, Brenda (Bill) Tonak of Westland. He is preceded in death by his grandparents: Lester and Marie Auten, Hebert Wagner, Ike and Ruth O’Connor; Donna’s parents, James and Yvonne Burleson, brothers-in-law: Richard Burleson, Raymond Burleson.
Funeral service held 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 17, 2023 in Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City with Brad Speirs of Novesta Church of Christ officiating. Memorials may be made to the American Liver Association.
Visitation: 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 16, 2023 in Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City
10 to 11 a.m. Friday, March 17, 2023 in Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City
Arrangements by
Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lester Jay Auten Iii, please visit our flower store.
60, of Cass City, passed away peacefully Friday, March 10, 2023 in Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit. He was born April 26, 1962 in a military hospital in El Paso, TX to Lester Jr. and Beverley (Wagner) Auten. He married Donna Marie Burleson on October 1, 1983 in Novesta Church of Christ, Cass City.
Les graduated in 1980 from Cass City High School, continued his education at Lincoln Tech and Delta College, and worked for General Motors as a Journeyman Toolmaker for twenty-eight years. He loved spending time outdoors fishing, hunting, and bird watching. Les liked target practicing with his brother,
sons-in-law, brother-in-law and niece, Jeannine Day (who affectionately called him ‘kidney-twin’ as she donated her kidney to Uncle Les in 2017). Together, he and his favorite canine companion Max were inseparable. They enjoyed visiting the ball diamond to play fetch and shopping in Tractor Supply Company. Les took an annual trip to Tawas which started as an anniversary getaway. This tradition continued with his family for many years, renting cabins and enjoying family time.
Family was the most important thing to Les. They all looked forward to Saturday because that was family day. A busy day spent with their daughters, sons-in-law, and eight grandchildren. They would have dinner, play games, especially Euchre, and just laugh and joke around. This was always a very happy and loud day that they enjoyed together. He was the provider for his family, they were his priority. Les enjoyed nothing more than making his girls and grandbabies happy. He was affectionately referred to as “Beepa” or grandpa. It was said that to have known him was to have loved him.
Les is survived by his wife, Donna of Cass City; daughters: Laura (Jeff) Murray of Vassar, Samantha (Paul) Gaeth of Cass City; eight grandchildren: Julian, Madeleine, Jackson, Israel, Ruby, Lilith, August and Eloise; his parents, Lester and Beverley Auten of Cass City; brothers: Paul (Deb) Auten of Decker, Russ (Jill) Auten of Twin Lake; sister, Julie (Mark) Mozdzen of Deford; brothers-in-law: James Burleson of AR; Robert (Cindy) Burleson of Deford; sister-in-law, Brenda (Bill) Tonak of Westland. He is preceded in death by his grandparents: Lester and Marie Auten, Hebert Wagner, Ike and Ruth O’Connor; Donna’s parents, James and Yvonne Burleson, brothers-in-law: Richard Burleson, Raymond Burleson.
Funeral service held 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 17, 2023 in Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City with Brad Speirs of Novesta Church of Christ officiating. Memorials may be made to the American Liver Association.
Visitation: 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 16, 2023 in Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City
10 to 11 a.m. Friday, March 17, 2023 in Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City
Arrangements by
Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City
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