Lester Moriconi

Lester Joseph Moriconi died peacefully at home Tuesday May 4th at the age of 83.  Les was born December 24, 1937 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the second of four children to Lester and Inez Moriconi.  Upon graduation from Elder High School in 1956 Les enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Germany where he would meet the love of his life Hertha Knie of Nuremburg.  Following his service, he returned to Cincinnati, married Hertha, and graduated from the University of Cincinnati.  After a brief stint in the wine business, he stumbled into the wood industry where he made a lifelong career. It was said he had saw dust in his veins.  He moved his family to North Little Rock in 1972 to become marketing manager for Wrape Forest Products.  In 1982 he along with his wife, started their own company which through fate brought him back to his Italian roots.  Les built partnerships with several Italian companies seeking representation in the U.S.  Some of those partnerships grew to great friendships in which Les and Hertha would host their children for a summer to experience American life and work on their English.  Les’s business also led to many great adventures from organizing factory tours in Italy for his customers to introducing his partners to the great Mississippi River and the cotton plant grown in the Delta.

Les is survived by his wife of 59 years Hertha, son Michael of North Little Rock, son Joseph (Lisa) of Scott, and daughter Julia Carlson (Brian) of Davidson, NC.  He was “Nonno” to Mitchell Carlson, McKenzie Moriconi, Liza Moriconi, Lilly Moriconi, Patrick Carlson, Jake Burgess and Maggie Burgess.

He is also predeceased by his parents and sister Patricia McGinn and survived by sister Kathy Connelly of San Diego, CA and brother David Moriconi of Independence, MO.

The family would like to give a special thanks to UAMS, Baptist Hospice and care giver David Livingston.

In lieu of flowers a donation could be made in his honor to the American Parkinson Disease Association www.apdaparkinson.org or UAMS, Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neuroscience Institute.

A funeral service will be held on Friday May 14th at Immaculate Conception Church at 11:00 a.m.

Arrangements by Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home , 1921 Main St, North Little Rock, AR 72114, 501-758-1170.