We are deeply saddened to report that Lester Mielcasz lost his battle with cancer at the age of 83. He spent the last few months of his life at home under hospice care while family and friends visited regularly. His cancer was ultimately not diagnosed, but it was believed to be lung cancer or Mesothelioma. It was his second battle with cancer.

Les was nearly always fun to be around, and left a saddened family when he died with his daughters at his bedside. He will be missed sorely. I’ve spent most of the last week putting together a video for his memorial which led me to several observations: First, Les is very photogenic. I scanned hundreds of pictures and gathered hundreds more, and decided to put all the pictures in the video and then delete the bad ones. I deleted about 15. By the way, he never had a care for who was taking his picture or what he was doing or wearing. Just look at the camera and give that smile-even if you’re wearing a dress or a nerd costume.

Secondly, he was rarely bored. He was constantly having people over for dinner or heading to their place for a party. He made a near-nightly jaunt to the Elk’s Club for couple of martinis with the gang. On weekends he was often off with the MG club or heading up the hill to the cabin (where he probably had more friends than at home.) He “crashed” more parties at our house than I could possibly remember.

Friends and neighbors speak often about what a great guy he was. He could enter the room knowing no one and leave with new friends in short time. He will be remembered with his huge smile, heating up the dance floor with others half his age, and as a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather. In his retirement, he surrounded himself with friends from Serene Lakes, the local Elks Club and the Sacramento Valley MG Club.

I was blessed and honored to share my life with this man for the past 25 years. He taught me how to be a father-in many ways, how to be a man. He made so many people’s lives better simply by being a part of them, and I could only hope to be half the man that he ever was. I will salute him with a sip of every martini I drink.

About Les
Lester Raymond Mielcasz was born on April 28, 1930 in Amsterdam, NY, the son Agnes Natalia Mielcasz (Kedzior) and Jan Mielcasz of Kobylanka, Poland. His parents immigrated to the US in 1920.

He had 4 siblings, Stanley Mielcasz, Helen Cuilik, Henrietta Friel and Jean Meachum.

He graduated from Wilbur H. Lynch High School in Amsterdam, NY, and then went to work at Mohawk Carpet Mills mixing dyes in the lab for a whopping sum of $32.00 per week. He later transferred to the finishing room where he worked, according to an autobiography, “on piecework with a bunch of older guys rolling and packaging carpet. At first I had a heck of a time keeping up with them.”

He served in the Air Force for 4 years from 1951-1954 where he successfully earned the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

He met Mary Maxson of Gloversville, NY, and they were married on Feb. 14, 1954. After moving to California he began a heating and air business, Mielcasz and Associates, which he ran successfully for nearly 30 years.

Les surrounded himself in life with close friends, frequently referring to them as “family.” He was active in the local Elks Lodge where he volunteered his time, and was an avid member of the Sacramento Valley MG Car Club where he was twice voted member of the year. Since 1968 he was a staple of Serene Lakes, a bedroom community of Soda Springs where he built a cabin on the lake with his children.

Les is survived by his three daughters and their husbands, Beth and Robert Rust of Orangevale, Jody and Mike Wassermann of Elk Grove and Lisa and Steve McClelland of Elk Grove. He has 6 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary in 1998. The patriarch of Sacramento Mielcaszes–all daughters–he would be the last known Mielcasz to bear the name in the US. Les was preceded in death by his wife, Mary in 1998.

Condolences can be sent to 6647 Swenson Way, Sacramento, CA  95831. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the American Cancer Society. Memorial services will be held at St. Anthony Parish, 660 Florin Road, Sacramento on March 17, 2014 at 11:00 am. There will be a reception immediately following at 6647 Swenson Way, Sacramento.