PARIS — The veteran of the month at the Maine Veterans’ Home is Lester R. Watkins, aka Les, Wop, Bobby, Robert and Bodgie, who grew up in Seek, Pa. He attended Girard College, a boy’s school, in Philadelphia.

Watkins joined the Navy after graduating from high school in May 1951 and was honorably discharged in January 1955. He served in the Korean War on the USS Irwin DD 794, which was based out of Newport, R.I.

Watkins did a lot of traveling during his time in the service. He went to Key West, The Panama Canal, Korea, Europe, Asia, pretty much all over the world. His motto is, “Join the Navy and see the world.”

While in the service Watkins worked as a Machinist Mate and ran the Forward Engine room. He achieved the rank of First Class Machinist Mate (MM1) and also received the Korean Service Medal and the UN Service Medal.

After his service in the Navy, Watkins attended Spring Garden Institute in Philadelphia, where he received a degree in mechanical technology.

He worked at the research and development corporation Aero Projects for three years, General Electric Space Division, RCA, Maine Electronics and retired from Data General in Westbrook after 18 years.

Lester’s hobby was flying. In 1959-60, he and a few friends scraped together enough money to buy an old Piper Cub. In later years he was an active member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, with interests in home-built aircraft.

Watkins was married in the Congregational Church in Coaldale, Pa., in February 1962. He was married for 43 years. He has two children, a boy and a girl, a granddaughter and two nieces.

Watkins resided in Pennsylvania until he moved his family to Maine in 1970. His wife, Elma, had spent summers in Maine, Lester had traveled to Maine and they both liked Maine so much they decided to make Maine their home.

Watkins has been at the Maine Veterans’ Home since 2009. He likes to spend time on his computer “Googling” and “researching.”