Lee wasn't just a neighbor but also a good friend. We shared his love of old cars and enjoyed seeing those we both had and talked about tours we had with them. We miss him but are so thankful he is out of pain and at peace. Vic and Jan

Lynn, so sorry for this great loss of your loving husband Lee.  Friend Jack Barrows shared your great loss with me. I was formally from Iowa City, now in KC, Mo. I recall your great hospitality in back years then & Lee’s fabulous outgoing & kind style of caring for others.  Carolyn Kirby

Sorry to hear this. Always enjoyed my time with Uncle Lee. He always called me “rude, crude and socially unacceptable”😂. Love to him, love to Aunt Lynn, love to Lance, Lane and all their families!♥️. Keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

It was Mother's Day, I was stuck in a boot after foot surgery and could not drive safely.  I got a call saying that my husband was ready for pick up at the hospital and who could I possibly call for help - well, Lee of course!  Lynn was with kiddos and sure enough Lee drove me to pick Bob up, with one condition: I would go to Walmart with him on the way home.  He was such a sweet man.  Never a bad word against anyone that I heard, not even Bob who was difficult.  Even though Bob needed special care (disabled by this point), Lee helped all he could and we got him back to is memory care home safely.  THank you, Lee <3

Now Walmart, that was another story altogether.  I wanted to use an electric cart because of that blasted boot and there was a condition there too: Lee wanted to be able to drive it back from the truck  when we had finished his shopping.  The only other time I saw Lee so into driving a tiny vehicle like that with a huge smile on his face was when he drove his little tractor around the yard. Bent over the handle bars it was as though he was going 100 miles an hour from his truck to the store.  He was pleased with himself.  He had a big o'grin on his face walking back to the truck.

Definitely a sweet man and I feel honored to have been one of his friends.  You are missed, Lee.

Love you, Lynn <3

After Lee retired from his real job, he came to work at SDI, he was one of my very first hires. I didn’t really know what I was doing yet and when he came to interview, I’m not sure which of us was more nervous! It was the dogs that attracted him to the job of course, but I don’t think he minded being one of the only male employees :) 

We were work family for almost 20 years. He took care of the vans and everything else that needed maintaining. When I picture him, always, always he has a smile on his face and you can tell he is ready for a little mischief.  

Lee and Lynn had me for dinner, and I fell in love with the dinner table he had built himself. Lucky for me, Lynn decided she wanted a different size and I was able to get the original.  It’s still my kitchen table and I love that it was made with his hands.

He always spoke of his family with such pride, much love to you all during this time ❤️

Lee and his ladies — with Becky Kier and Ana Perkins

It is so hard to lose someone who meant so much to us all. Uncle Lee had great humor and a generous heart. He always made me laugh. Makayla and I were just talking about him over Christmas and his need to have his meats cooked well done, as we love them rare. Please know I’m thinking of you and holding you close in my thoughts.

Lee was such an example to me and others of what it means to be a dad and a husband. He loved his family, with Lynn at the top of the list, as it should be. He was a great sport about our weekend shopping trips with Connie and others friends. On one trip to Round Top/Brenham area we had gone just a touch overboard and filled my suburban to the top. We didn’t want to cut our trip short by driving all the way back to unload, so of course Lee came to the rescue. He drove a delivery truck from Wilson’s to our b and b and picked everything up so we could continue! And he didn’t even complain very much! We also had a standing joke about the “dancing girls” scheduled to come to the house after Lynn left, which cracked us all up because it was so obvious that would never happen. He adored Lynn. I will never forget one time when Lynn and I were at work and Lee walked in the door. We could tell something was wrong, but he managed to get to her desk and sit down. Lynn knew he was having a blood sugar problem and got him something to eat. When he was feeling better she fussed at him about driving when he was so ill. Lee said, “All I could think of was seeing you one more time.”

He loved you so much, Lynn! 

Lynn & family, My heart goes out to each of you as you go through the grieving process  of losing your beloved husband, father & grandfather! It is such a sad thing to lose someone that you love so much! I pray that the Lord will give each of you strength, comfort, peace & sweet memories to share with each other!  With sympathy & love! Pat Phillips

Lee was what our families called a “Double-Cousin” because his Dad, Floyd , and my Dad, Johnson, were Brothers. AND his Mom, Ruth, and my Mom, Elizabeth, were Sisters. 

My memories flash back to when Lee was in High School at Carthage Illinois and l would visit from our farm outside LaHarpe Illinois during Summers

Lee was 5 years older so when he had his Driver’s License he would take me on rides around Carthage… maybe exceeding the Speed Limit a bit 

He had a sign in his bedroom that l thought was exceptional…”COOL CAT!”

During Christmas Vacations… he would visit our farm and we would go sledding in our timber

He always had a mechanical talent  He took a lawnmower motor and attached it to a John Deere Kid’s tractor.  It was a “poor kid’s Go Kart” but we still had fun riding around our farm

Another memory was after Lee and Lynn were married and lived in Quincy Illinois   Quincy had a great High School Basketball team and they were playing a State game at Western Illinois University.   Lee called to see if l could get tickets at WIU since the allotted number at Quincy were cold out !  My Dad and l went to the WIU ticket office a day before the game, stood in line for at least an hour but we were able to get them tickets  We met them in a small town along the way named Tennessee, Illinois.

The last time l saw Lee was in 2017.  My hometown of Washington, Illinois had an EF4 Tornado devastate the twin, knocking down over 1,000 homes  Although my home was spared my daughter wasn’t so lucky  

This was a big National News story so when Lee heard that news he called to see if my family was ok.  He said he was going to visit his Sister in Keokuk Iowa and would try to come to Washington 

A few weeks passed and they all traveled to Washington to view the devastation.   

The Chicago Bear’s game theday of the tornado was delayed as the storm headed to Chicago … and later…the Bears took a great interest in the rebuilding process  

On the day Lee and family visited we went for lunch at a hometown Sports Bar named KEP’s.   l noticed a table with a familiar face seated not too far away.  It was George McKaskey, the Owner-President of the Bears   I remember asking Lee… Do you know who George McKaskey is?

He didn’t so l said … It’s the Bears version of the Cowboys Jerry Jones We laughed and he understood the importance of this man 

When we were ready to leave l asked for the check but was told Mr McKaskey had picked up the checks for everyone in Kep’s

My lasting memory of Lee is … he came from a good Christian family where his Dad and Mom gave him many lifelong lessons on “How to be a Good Man”!

I worked with Lee in the late 80s when I was in high school with his son Lance at Anderson HS. I was a cashier and clerk at Chief Auto Parts and worked with Lee. What a patient and sweet man. I loved being on shift with him. He made me laugh and taught me so much about cars that I ended up taking an auto class at ACC while in HS. Although, I didn't stick to car wrenching, I know for sure it gave me the basic knowledge to succeed in airplane wrenching in the US Navy. Anyway, we didn't work together long, but he had a huge impact on my life and how to treat people. Shelley, Lane, Lance and family, I am so sorry for your loss. Rest in Peace Lee!