Richard Wayne Lee, 95, peacefully passed away from us on October 28, 2015 to rejoin his beloved wife Mary who had preceded him. He was comfortably at home in Lakewood, Colorado, surrounded by loving family.

Richard’s heavenly reunion with his soulmate, Mary, will also find earthly expression in a graveside service on Saturday, May 28, 2016 at the Cambridge Cemetery, where he will be next to Mary. This cemetery service will follow a memorial celebration of Richard’s life at the Timber Creek Friends Church at 10:00 a.m. Cremation has taken place. This will complete the full circle of Richard’s wonderful life – his and Mary’s gravesite lies just across the creek from Blue Bluff, his favorite area in which to roam and play as a young boy in Cambridge.

Richard was born in Atlanta, Kansas on the Fourth of July in 1920, and many years later he would succeed in convincing his children that his birthday was the reason for all the fireworks. He and his sister, Jean, were born to William and Pearl (Whiteman) Lee. An outstanding athlete, Richard graduated from Cambridge High School in 1938. During those early years he worked on the family farm east of Atlanta in the Timber Creek area, and on other farms in the Cambridge area. Later, he was hired as a “gandy dancer” on the Santa Fe railroad and attended Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University) in Emporia, Kansas where he met and later married the love of his life, Mary. Between 1940 and 1944 he earned Bachelor’s degrees in both Physics and Mathematics.

During his collegiate studies in Emporia, Richard entered the V7 Navy College Training Program, and after completing his midshipmen’s school training on the east coast, he was commissioned as Ensign, USN in March, 1944. During his subsequent leave before reporting for active duty on the west coast, Richard returned to Emporia where he and Mary were married on June 30, 1944. Not long after their wedding, Richard and Mary travelled together to his duty station in San Francisco, then on to San Diego for several months in preparation for his shipping out for wartime assignment. In early 1945, Richard boarded ship and sailed into the war, stopping at Pearl Harbor and the Philippines on the way to Okinawa, although the mission and destination were kept secret until Hawaii was well behind them.

Richard became a decorated veteran of World War II and served as Beachmaster in the invasion and Battle of Okinawa in the Pacific Theater. This made him one of the forebears of today’s modern Beachmaster Units. His landing on the beach took place in the pitch darkness of night, lit only by intense artillery fire streaking overhead from offshore war ships. When his landing craft (LCV) stopped and lowered the front to unload, he looked out to see only dark open ocean all around and asked the LCV operator if he was sure that this was the right place. When he received confident assurances, Richard dubiously drove his jeep off the front of the landing craft and promptly sank, leaving him sitting neck deep in the driver’s seat of the submerged vehicle in the middle of the night. The tide had come in.

After the victorious end of WWII, and following his sudden and unexpected extended duty aboard the USS Bountiful in Tokyo Bay, Japan, Richard was discharged in 1946 and returned home to Mary. In 1947, on Easter, they had their first child, Greg, in Emporia. Richard, Mary, and Greg moved to Great Bend, Kansas where Richard taught science while he also resumed college studies and received a Master’s degree from KSTC in Administration and Education in 1949. He then began his career in education administration as principal, coach, and teacher in Cedar Point, Kansas.

But in 1950, Richard was recalled for active duty for the Korean War. While stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Illinois, son Jeff arrived on October 29, 1952. During that time, Richard served as Staff Training Officer, then transferred to Sandia Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico to serve as Nuclear Officer in the Atomic Weapons Unit. Richard and family then transferred to Norfolk, Virginia for continued special weapons duty and training and in 1954 he was assigned to duty aboard the USS Ticonderoga. Fortunately for Richard and his family, he was released from active duty the day before he was to board for departure -- Richard’s replacement was killed the next day by an explosion on board. Richard continued to serve in the Navy Reserve until 1969 when he retired from military service with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

From Norfolk, Richard and his family moved to Kiowa, Kansas where he was high school principal for 2 years. There the family was joined by daughter Joyce who was born on October 23, 1955. In 1956, Richard accepted the position of Superintendent of Schools in Cheney, Kansas and the family lived there until 1961 when they moved to Evergreen, Colorado where Richard was principal of the high school. While there, Richard was one of the architects of the Jefferson County Public Schools Outdoor Education Laboratory Program, still enjoyed today by Jefferson County 6th graders. And his great grandson, Thomas, currently works as an intern for that program. Richard also advocated for, and participated in formulation of the Jefferson County Open School which is now attended by his great granddaughter, Lief (Aspen). In 1968, Richard accepted the position of Superintendent of the Aspen School District, Aspen, Colorado, and he finished his career there, retiring in 1980. During their time in Aspen, Richard and Mary also enjoyed a sabbatical year in Hydaburg, Alaska on Prince of Wales Island.

After a couple of retirement years in Montrose, Colorado, Richard and Mary moved back to the family farm in the Timber Creek area east of Atlanta, Kansas and they enjoyed many years there with wonderful relatives and friends. They found ongoing and uplifting spiritual sustenance in their regular attendance at the Timber Creek Friends Church. They also enjoyed travels to England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, the Netherlands, Hawaii, Alaska, and Alberta, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, Canada as well as throughout the United States. Richard remained on the farm after Mary’s untimely death in 2003 until he moved to Lakewood, Colorado after his 90th birthday (complete with fireworks) in 2010, back in Jefferson County, to be near his kids. He and sister Jean were both reluctant to leave the farm, partly over concern about leaving the other stranded alone, and so both moved “into town” on the same day.

After over 4 years enjoying his residence at Lakewood Estates, Richard joined the household of family members near the end of 2014 and he enjoyed the rest of his life in their constant company. His time at home with us profoundly enhanced the closeness of his family – a final gift from the great, gentle, loving, humor filled father, grandfather, great grandfather.

Richard’s family includes:
His sons: Greg Lee and wife Debbie of Lakewood, CO and Jeff Lee and wife Mary of Paonia, CO;
His daughter Joyce Lee and husband Frank Dumler of Monument, CO;
His 8 grandchildren: Jason, Tucker, Luke, and David Lee, Lydia (Lee) Willson, Miranda (Lee) Casto, Taryn and Paul Dumler;
His 4 great grandchildren: Thomas, Gage, and Lief (Aspen) Willson, and Neveah Casto; and His sister: Jean Yarbrough.

Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, and by his parents, Velma Pearl and William Wesley Lee.

A memorial has been established in Richard’s name to benefit the Timber Creek Friends Church, Atlanta, Kansas. Contributions may be sent to Richard Lee Memorial, in care of Miles Funeral Service, 4001 East 9th Ave., Winfield, KS 67156.

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