Carl W. Lesesne

Carl “Pete” Wardell Lesesne was born on February 9,1930 in Kissimmee Florida to two young African-American entrepreneurs.  His father, William Harleston Lesesne, owned the first licensed Taxi Cab company in Kissimmee. His mother, Helen Jackson was a local Insurance Agent.

Carl’s most formative years were spent with his maternal great-grandmother. His christian upbring required him to attend Sunday School each week at St James AME Zion Church. How he got the nickname  “Pete” was: when Sunday school was dismissed, he had to stay for adult church service. Carl wanted to leave church with his friends and play Cowboys and Indians.   One Sunday when he was very young, the sermon was about all the bad things Peter in the Bible had done. Carl, not understanding the minister, was telling a biblical story. Yelled out

 “ That's not me”. After that little outburst he was called Peter. Close friends and family shortened it to  “Pete”.

Due to segregation Carl’s formal education was in the Florida public School system at Kissimmee High School which included elementary, middle and high school, housed in one building.  He graduated in 1948 as Valedictorian. The love of his life Clara Helms, was the Salutatorian.  The two married in 1953, before he joined the US Air Force, where he served as a Dental Technician.   

Strong on academics. Carl attended and graduated from the pretigious Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, where he was a member of the Math and Science clubs.  He moved on to Indiana Institute of Technology in Ft Wayne, Indiana to study Engineering. In 1959 Carl accepted an engineering position in Seattle with the Boeing Company. At Boeing, Carl played an intricate role in designing the lighting system for Boeing’s first widebody aircraft, the 747.  He joined a group of highly educated African-American Engineers, whose wives formed a social club “The Engineers’ Wives” as a means of social and cultural enrichment for their young families.

It was at this time the Lesesne family joined Mt Zion Baptist Church under the leadership of Carl’s upperclassmen the late Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney a fellow Morehouse Alumni and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternal brother.  It was under the leadership of the late Dr. McKinney that Carl got involved in the Model Cities Program, which later became the Central Area Motivation Program (C.A.M.P.). Now celebrating their 60th Anniversary, the name has been changed to Byrd Bar.

In 1980 after retiring from Boeing, Carl accepted a position at Lockheed Martin in Cherry Hill, NJ.  His wife Clara immediately found a church and they entered into Watchcare until he retired and returned to Seattle in 1995.  In retirement the Lesesnes’  traveled the world. They also spent time traveling in their motorhome.  Carl loved to camp and fish, but the joy of retirement was the time they spent spoiling their grandchildren.

In 2005 Carl and his late wife Clara became founding members of New Beginnings Christian Fellowship under the leadership of Rev Dr Leslie David Braxton.  They participated in

The Connection Small Group Ministry, Counting Ministry and Tutoring Ministry.  Carl remained a faithful member until his health declined.

On September 4, 2024, after a brief illness. Carl entered into perfect peace.  He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Clara Helms-Lesesne, his parents, paternal and maternal Grand and Great-Grandparents, Sisters M. LaVon Lesesne and Brenda Chambers and his Brother Ernest Jenkins.

His legacy will be celebrated by his daughters’ Shari Lesesne-Cal and Carlete Lesesne-Morrow (William) Grandchildren, Jillian Lesesne Jackson-Cloy and Clarence Adam Cal III, Jason Carlon Morrow, Jasmine Lesesne Morrow, Will (Charity) Morrow, Jr., and Kwame (Ebony) Morrow.  Great-Grandchildren, Chante and Jada. Sisters, Klyde Epps (Charles), Rita Wiley and Juanita Lesesne. Along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, church and fraternal family.

      “ We are confident.  To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”

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