Charles Wesley Lee, Sr., 89, died peacefully at home in the company of his wife, while she made their morning coffee in Seadrift, Texas on February 22, 2015.
A memorial service was held at Seadrift Cemetery in Seadrift, Texas on Friday, February 27, 2015 with Pastor Carl Westbrook officiating.
Charles was born November 4, 1925, to Melvin Lee and Frances McCurdy. His father was a rancher and his mother was a homemaker. They moved to Seadrift from Missouri in the early 1900s. Charles spent his youth helping on the family farm and graduated from Port Lavaca High School in 1943.
After graduation, he enlisted into the Army Air Force where he proudly served as an airplane mechanic on a flight crew, was a fireman, and was a truck driver. While enlisted, he controlled the fire truck and crew, and wore an asbestos suit to rescue men from burning airplanes. He was honored to have rescued 8 men from burning airplanes during his military service. He earned an honorable discharge in 1945 in order for him to transition into Civil Service to begin working for the United States Atomic Energy Commission. He traveled the world through his military and Civil Service work and at one time, lived in upstate New York, Cleveland, Ohio, and Los Alamos, New Mexico, (to name a few places), before retiring and returning to his home in Seadrift, TX.
His life in Seadrift revolved around ranching. He loved raising cattle and most recently, wanted to start raising guineas. On his agenda the morning he died was to finalize fishing trip plans with a buddy, and he was making a list of materials for some fence repairs. Working around the ranch kept him active. His interests included family, reading, and listening to big band and country music of the 1940s and 1950s. He devoted most of his time and energy as a protector to his wife, and they took care of each other for almost 20 years. He considered himself the luckiest man to have found lasting love and commitment later in life, and welcomed and embraced his step family as his own. The care he showed his extended family is a testament to his loving, kind, and generous spirit. As a man, he was a patriot, didn’t mince words, and expected excellence. He knew great love, followed a simple path, was funny, intelligent, loved animals, and was a great storyteller. He would say he was rich beyond measure because of the friends and family he loved and who loved him. Those who knew and loved him miss him terribly.
Mr. Lee is survived by his wife, Linda Elaine Lee, 70, of Seadrift; his sister, Frances Elizabeth ‘Sissy’ Lee of Seadrift; sister, Daisy Ellen Arnold of Long Mott; one biological son and his spouse, Charles Wesley ‘Chuck’ Lee, Jr. and Rose Marie Lee, his grandchildren Michelle and Nicholas Lee all of New Mexico; one step-daughter Cheryl Bear and his grandchildren Ashley Soudelier and Summer Soudelier from Louisiana, and Justin Soudelier from Austin; one step-daughter and spouse, Christy Bear and Brian Glover, and his grandchildren Jeralynn Salazar and Raden Glover from Texas; one step-son and spouse, Kenneth Joseph Rhodenbaugh and Amy Rhodenbaugh, and his grandchildren Caleb, Austin, and Mason Rhodenbaugh, and Amber Zipsie all from Illinois; and one great-grandchild. He also was a beloved uncle to eight children born in the family.
He is preceded in death by his brothers, Robert E. Lee, Grover A. Lee, and Melvin Lee; and his parents Melvin and Frances Lee, all of Seadrift.
The family would also like to thank close friends and extended family, Edward and Odilia Jimenez, Kyle Henson, Floyd Cecil Raby, Cindy Alford, Paula Moncrief, Maria and Julian Rodriguez, Suzanna and Ivan Rodriguez, Brenda Rodriguez, Escar Rodriguez, Arnaldo Rodriguez, Yadira Vallejo for a lifetime of support and unwavering friendship to Charles and Linda Lee.
Donations may be sent to Trey Ganem Designs http://www.treyganemdesigns.com/ to help families struck by tragedy be able to afford to provide their loved ones with a final resting place.
