Gentry county Missouri, Obituaries: Lester Ray Birbeck Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by: Don Raymond The Tri-County News, Friday, October 5, 2001: Birbeck leaves positve mark throughout area: Lester Ray Birbeck was what you might call a man of the world, in the truest sense of the word. He spent most of his 76 years working, living and traveling in many countries throughout the world and yet his thoughts never strayed far from home, the place where he was born, grew up and possibly loved the best, the King City and Island City areas of Northwest Missouri. Funeral services were conducted for Mr. Birbeck on Sept. 24 at the Island City Christian Church, where he still remained a member, by his cousin, Rev. Russell Evans. Burial was in High Ridge Cemetery in Stanberry. Lester was born March 1, 1925, the first child of Ray and Mollie Evans Birbeck. Other siblings include two brothers, Herbert Birbeck, Mankato, MN. and Robert Birbeck, Springfield; two sisters, Mary June Birbeck Bush, Dallas, TX. and Virginia Birbeck Howe, Hays, KS. The family lived in the Beggs community, north of King City, and that is where Lester grew up and attended grade school. He was a 1942 graduate of King City high school.