Lester F. "Les" Caudill

OZARK…Mr. Lester F. “Les” Caudill (Command Sergeant Major, United States Army, Retired), died Wednesday morning, February 5, 2025, at his home in Ozark. He was 86.

 Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at Ridgecrest Baptist Church with Reverend Dr. Scott E. Thompson officiating. Graveside services, with full military honors, will follow in Westview Memorial Cemetery. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 11:00 A.M. Tuesday at the church.

 In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ridgecrest Baptist Church, 1971 Deese Road, Ozark, Alabama 36360. 

 Mr. Caudill, son of the late Lewis Frank Caudill and Alta Mae Shaw Caudill, was a native of Bonaparte, Iowa, where he was a 1956 graduate of Bonaparte High School. Following high school, he enlisted in the United States Army. Mr. Caudill lived in various locations in the United States and overseas while serving in the Army, and he retired in 1981 in Fort Hood, Texas. He retired from the United States Postal Service in Erie, Pennsylvania prior to moving to Ozark in 2003. While in Pennsylvania, he was a member of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church, where he served as an Elder. Mr. Caudill was a member of Gideons International, Dale County Camp, in Ozark. He was also a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church, where he formerly served as a Deacon and led the Prayer Team. Mr. Caudill was preceded in death by a grandson, Brandon Dominguez, a brother, Larry Caudill, and three half-brothers, Clifford, Gerald, and Verlee.

 Surviving relatives include his wife of sixty-eight years, Jean King Caudill, Ozark; three daughters, Beverly Hile (Kevin), Ozark, Cheryl Lynn Clinger (Joseph), Texas City, Texas, and Pamela Joyce Jordan (Reggie), Bennett, Colorado; his son, Lester F. Caudill, Jr. (Debra), Richmond, Virginia; grandchildren, Kendra Dodd (Doug), Kevin Hile, II (Sarah Beth), Benjamin Hile (Sara Elizabeth), Jeana Clinger, Roman Clinger, Gloria Ovwigho, Charis Ovwigho, Serena Ovwigho, Garen Ovwigho, Remmie Pittman (Tate), Auri Caudill, and Elijah Caudill; fifteen great-grandchildren.

 Serving as active pallbearers will be Kevin Hile, II, Benjamin Hile, Brian Douglas, and Paul Woodham. The honorary pallbearer will be Bruce Robinson.