Lester Edwin Oswald, Sr.

Lester (Les) Edwin Oswald Sr., age 86, of Smithsburg, MD, entered his eternal rest Friday, April 29, 2022, at Commonwealth Senior Living, Hagerstown, MD. Born April 1, 1936, in Smithsburg, MD, he was the son of the late Lester Lee Oswald and Meda Catherine (Kuhn) Oswald. He graduated from Smithsburg High School and was employed at Doubleday Bookbinding Company, Smithsburg, MD. Shortly thereafter, he started his landscaping career with his Ford pickup truck, a wheelbarrow, a rake and a shovel. He obtained his Tree Expert License, and he grew his business for over 60 years. As the owner of Oswald & Sons Nursery and President of Oswald Nurseries, Inc. Lester combined his passion and work by landscaping all over the Quad-state area and attending large equipment auctions to obtain the “tools” for the job. You would often see his logo of “We Plant the Earth’ on the side of his various trucks and equipment. His companies landscaped many residential homes, office buildings, schools, churches, highways, airports, hospitals etc. There was no job too big or too small, and you cannot drive very far without seeing his work growing throughout the landscape. Many will also remember coming to his family nursery to buy Christmas trees, mulch and various nursery stock year after year. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his loving wife of almost 50 years, Mae Eiizabeth (Wilson) Oswald, and his son Lester E. Oswald Jr. and sister Jane L. (Oswald) Kline. Lester is survived by his daughter, Lori A. (Oswald) Webb and husband William (Andy) Webb of Greencastle, PA, one brother George N. Oswald and wife Sue, four grandchildren, Gregory, Meloney, Maxwell, and Madison and six great grandchildren. Services will be held Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at 11:00am at J.L. Davis Funeral Home, Smithsburg, MD, with Pastor David Rawley officiating. Burial will be in Smithsburg Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6-8pm at J.L. Davis Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Washington County, Inc. or you may plant a tree in Memory of Lester E. Oswald Sr. Online condolences may be offered at www.jldavisfh.com.