On Jan. 13, a Purple Heart Memorial Highway sign was placed on the west end of Main Street in Stroud in honor of Sgt. Earl Roy “Pete” Lester, Jr.
Lester, who was from Stroud, was killed in action in the Vietnam War on June 14, 1971.
About 16 of his family members attended, along with members of the Stroud community who knew Lester. His sister, Lisa Lester Ellsworth, spoke at the ceremony, thanking everyone for taking the time to honor her brother.
“My brother, Earl Roy Lester Jr., was a man of courage, strength, and love. He gave everything for his country, and though we lost him in the Vietnam War, he lives on in our memories,” she said. “Every time we travel this road, we will be reminded not just of his sacrifice but of the countless others who gave their lives in service.”
Ellsworth continued that the sign isn’t just a marker of a highway but a tribute to a young man who believed in something greater than himself.
“It is a symbol of love, duty, and remembrance. Let this serve as a reminder that while time moves on, we will never forget the heroes like Pete Lester, who shaped our history,” she said.
Lester’s cousin Beth Wilson was instrumental in getting the highway dedication. She said she began looking into it in January 2024 and first approached former State Rep. Kevin Wallace about the dedication. The dedication must be submitted in a bill along with other such dedications. It went into effect in November 2024.
Wilson said Wallace connected her to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, who then helped her select the section of road.
“The part of 66 that was dedicated to Pete was about a block from his home, and he did graduate from Stroud High School, so that worked out beautifully,” Wilson said.
She added that they decided to hold the dedication on Jan. 13 as it was Pete’s mother’s birthday.
Along with the Purple Heart, Lester was awarded the Combat Medical Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross, according to family members. They were awarded shortly after Pete’s death in 1971.