FAYETTEVILLE

Leroy (BayBay) Hester entered this world on February 6, 1950 to Ruth Ray Hester and Harvey Hester in Fuquay-Varina NC and gained his wings on April 15, 2020 in Fayetteville NC. He attended the Wake County Public School system where he really excelled in all his classes.

In 1969, Leroy was drafted into the United States Marine Corp where he served as a Military Police Officer and served in the Vietnam War until he was honorably discharged in 1975. After he was released from the military, "BayBay" volunteered to re-enlist for another six months to go back to Vietnam. When he completed this six-month tour, BayBay graduated from the Atlanta, GA Police Academy in which he really did not care to become an active officer. To hear him say, "it was just something else to do". BayBay was the first African American in NC to become an engineer and drive for the Southern Railroad on South Wilmington Street in Raleigh. To add more notches to his belt, he was also employed with the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant in Apex, NC then moved to Chesapeake, VA where he became an Inspector of Air Craft Carriers. After all of his hard work in serving our Country and working to provide for his family, BayBay finally called it quits and retired with the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. What a wonderful life he lived!

He leaves to cherish is great memories three sisters: Portia Jenkins (Fayetteville NC), Patricia Dillard (Durham NC) and Vernersey (Vee) Hester (Raleigh NC), three children: Leroy Hester, Jr., (New York), Patrick Hester (Graham NC), and Ronnie Hester (New Orleans) as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and close friends.

"Your wings were ready, but our hearts were not"

The Family

Due to public health concerns we are offering a vehicle visitation at Montlawn Funeral Home, 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27603, starting at 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. You can drive up in your car and greet the family from within your vehicle. This will allow friends and family the opportunity to express their condolences and allow the family to see guests safely and within the CDC guidelines.