Leslie Hugh ‘Les’ Inman, age 90, of O’Fallon, Ill., passed away peacefully Friday night, June 20, 2025, at Bethesda Dilworth, Oakland, Mo.
Born August 1, 1934, in St. Pauls, N.C., he grew up picking cotton, tobacco, and beans, and when he graduated high school, he knew he wasn’t going to college, but he didn’t want to be a farmer either: he went to the shipyard in Newport News, Va., got a job, and worked on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal. Later he decided he to join the US Air Force. In the USAF, he worked in medical administration and computer operations for 28 years until he retired as a Senior Master Sergeant (E-8). His many assignments included New Jersey, Germany, North Carolina, Thailand, England and Illinois, and during the Vietnam war at Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. During an assignment to Germany, he met the love of his life - Edith ‘Edie’ Dresler – and married her and had two children, William and Michele. They were married for 61 years until she died in 2020. After retiring from the Air Force, Leslie worked with the US Postal Service for 22 years until he retired in 2005.
He attended the First Baptist Church in O’Fallon. ‘Hugh’ as he was called by his N.C. family, ended up travelling the world, even though he didn’t like to travel, and asked his children and grandchildren to visit him every year. He loved his family, and he let us know every time we saw him with a hearty hug and an “I love you!” He was a great father and grandfather. His favorite food was a gas station hotdog, because it only cost $1. However, he was a great provider to his family. He was very much loved and appreciated by his wife, children, their spouses, and grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents L.H. and Lucy Inman, wife Edie Inman, brother Cecil Inman, sister Lois Hagen and daughter Michele Inman. He is survived by his son William (Laury) Inman of O’Fallon, Ill.; grandchildren Zachary Inman, Alexandre (Rachelle) Inman, Nicole Youngstrom, and Aaron Inman; great-grandchildren Romynn Youngstrom and Evander Youngstrom; nephews Steve (Loretta) Hagen and Cecil E. (Linda) Inman, niece Linda (Clarence) Bailey, son-in-law Bart Collida, and his dog Mia.
All services will be held in St. Pauls, N.C., with burial at Oak Ridge Cemetery, St. Pauls, N.C. under the direction of McNeill-Legacy Funeral Home (https://www.mcneill-legacyfuneralhome.com/). Flowers are welcome.
Local arrangements entrusted to Wolfersberger Funeral Home, O’Fallon, Ill. Share a memory at www.wfh-ofallon.com.
