Windel Lee Linscombe was born on August 6, 1939 in Lafayette, Louisiana to Elmer “Jack” Linscombe and Leola “Daisy” Linscombe. In traditional Cajun fashion, his family usually called him “Windel Lee,” but since joining the US Air Force at age 17, he has mostly been known lovingly as “Lee.” Lee passed away on September 5, 2024 in Universal City, Texas after a long battle with cancer and several other physical ailments.

The eldest of six siblings, he grew up in southern Louisiana and Texas. At the age of 17, Lee headed off to USAF Basic Training for what would be a long and distinguished Air Force career. While serving in Okinawa, Japan in 1959 he was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident which led to 11 months of rehabilitation in Okinawa and Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi. After recovery he was assigned to Randolph AFB, Universal City, Texas. While assigned at Randolph he and his buddies would often frequent Landa Park in nearby New Braunfels. It was here he first met his future sweetheart and wife, Shirley Hanz. After their courtship, Lee and Shirley were married in May 1961 in New Braunfels, Texas.

Throughout his Air Force career, Lee served at assignments in Mountain Home, Montana; Okinawa, Japan; San Antonio, Texas (multiple times): Honolulu, Hawaii; Superior, Wisconsin; Tacoma, Washington; Ankara, Turkey, Wichita Falls, Texas, and Crete, Greece. Shortly after his marriage, Lee began taking college courses wherever he lived and in 1971 earned a Bachelor’s degree from Texas Lutheran College (now University) in Sequin, Texas. Soon after, he applied for Officer Training School, was accepted, and then commissioned in June 1971. As an enlisted serviceman, Lee achieved the rank of Master Sargent. While an officer, he served as both an Office of Special Investigations (OSI) agent and a Disaster Preparedness Officer, retiring as a Captain in 1981 after a distinguished 25-year USAF career.

During their travels around the globe, Lee & Shirley happened to collect several keepsakes - three in fact! Corey was born in 1963 in Honolulu, Liesl in 1967 in Superior, and Brett in Turkey in 1974. After his retirement from active duty service, Lee opened an insurance agency with Farmer’s Insurance and later worked as an independent agent and crop insurance adjuster.

Lee was a warrior his whole life - in addition to his recovery from the near-fatal motorcycle crash and his 25-years of USAF active duty service, in 1999 Lee was diagnosed with throat cancer. Although the treatments addressed the cancer, it caused significant physical impacts, Despite his trach and feeding tube, he continued to enjoy a full life for the next 25 years - continuing to run his insurance business, enjoying dancing and camping (moving from tents to RVs over the years) with Shirley and friends, and spending time with his three children and six grandchildren and their families.

In 2023, Lee was again diagnosed with throat cancer. This time the treatments were ineffective but he continued to battle the cancer along with several other physical ailments. On September 5, 2024, Lee lost his physical battle, but has ultimately won the race, as he is now in the presence of his savior, Jesus Christ, and is enjoying his first real meal in over 25 years at the heavenly banquet.

Lee was proceeded in death by his parents, Jack & Daisy Linscombe and his brothers - Danny, Dean, Johnny, and Steve Linscombe. Lee’s shining light and his contagious smile will be missed by all who know him, but mostly by his surviving family: wife Shirley Linscombe; son Corey Linscombe and wife Denise; daughter Liesl Hons and husband Peter; son Brett Linscombe and wife Carla; Grandchildren and spouses - Garrett and Ruth Linscombe, Joshua and Erin Scarborough, Zhanna Linscombe, Amantha Hons, Ian Hons, and Emma Linscombe; four great-grandchildren - Lee, Alice, Elise, and Lindsey; and his sister, Gayle Carrens; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

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