Helen Margaret Lester Plants

Helen Margaret Lester was born in Desloge, Missouri, in March 1925, the only child of Rollo Bertell and Margaret Stephens Lester.

She entered the University of Missouri as a journalism major, but soon switched to Civil Engineering. She received her BSCE in 1945. The University of Missouri at Columbia recognized her with the Missouri Honor Award for lifetime achievement.

She joined West Virginia University in 1947 as a graduate student and Instructor in Mechanics, and received her MS in Civil Engineering in 1953.

She became Professor Emeritus, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in 1983.

From 1985 to 1990 she served as Chair of Civil Engineering Technology at Indianana University-Purdue University - Fort Wayne.

American Society For Engineering Education

Fellow (in first "class" selected)

Distinguished Service Award

Western Electric Fund Award

Vice-President

For many years she was a Girls Scout leader.

While in Morgantown she was active in Trinity Episcopal Church where she served as a Vestryman and Bishop's Man.

She died in Tulsa, Oklahoma in September 1999.