Richard (Dicke) E. Lester was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on October 7, 1943, and raised in Florence, South Carolina.  Dicke earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1966 and a Juris Doctor Degree in 1969, both degrees from the University of South Carolina.

After law school, he joined the FBI, receiving a number of Letters of Commendation from J. Edgar Hoover, then the Director of the FBI.

In 1973 he began practicing law in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and for more than 20 years has limited his practice to real estate law exclusively.  He is an approved attorney for Chicago Title Insurance Company and is the owner of Atlantic Title Agency, LLC.  His law firm was voted Law Office/Firm of the Year by subscribers of the Myrtle Beach Herald for the year 2006.

He is admitted to practice before all courts in South Carolina, is a member of the South Carolina Bar and the Horry County Bar.  In addition to the above, he found time to serve as Municipal Judge for the City of Myrtle Beach for 20 years, and has recently retired as judge.  He now serves on the Board of Visitors at the University of South Carolina.

He is an outstanding athlete, earning a football scholarship to the University of South Carolina and is an avid tennis player, having played in the 4.5 Seniors National Tennis Championship in Tucson, Arizona.

He is married and has three children and five grandchildren.