John A. Lesner

Biography

John A. Lesner spent decades in the Virginia General Assembly, pushing for improvements to the ports, rail lines, and public schools that knit the commonwealth together. His colleagues respected him for meticulous memoranda and for marshaling bipartisan support for appropriations that kept building projects on schedule.

He also guided Forest Lawn Cemetery's trustees, ensuring the landscaping honored the soldiers and civic leaders of his era and that the grounds offered solace to the families who relied on his steady counsel.