Gordon Alden LEE

1917 - 2009  (91 years)

• Name	Gordon Alden LEE
  Birth	18 Sep 1917	Minnesota
  	Minneapolis in his obit. Not listed in the MHS birth certificate index.
  Gender	Male
  Death	16 Jan 2009	Waterville, Le Sueur County, Minnesota
  Burial	Apr 2009	Sakatah Cemetery, Waterville, Le Sueur County, Minnesota
  Notes	Shown as an adopted son in the 1930 census. Not listed with his mother and step-father in the 1940 census. He lived in Waterville, Minnesota, at the time of his mother’s death in 1981. According to one of his nieces: “Gordon Alden, went by Anderson until adulthood when he went by Lee. He died 16 Jan 2009 at the age of 91 in Waterville, Le Sueur, Minnesota, and was buried next to his wife Thelma Delores Cram Lee. There is an interesting story in conjunction with his death. He seems to have died during that terribly cold winter and was not discovered. The national nightly news comentator, Brian Williams, featured this on his show saying this should never happen in America where we often live alongside neighbors, friends and family. The neighbors hadn't seen him for a while so they called in the police to check on him. He was found frozen to death in his home. The gas heat had quit and he was angry about the company shutting off his gas, but they told him they had not. Apparently his furnace broke and he was too angry to think that could be the problem. He was found wrapped in layers of clothing and next to the phone. He may have had a heart attack, and froze to death that night in the 20 below freezing weather.” His obit: Gordon Alton Lee, 91, of Waterville, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2009, at his residence in Waterville. ?Born in Minneapolis on Sept. 18, 1917, he was the son of Andrew and Nancy (Darby) Lee. He attended school in North Dakota and following his schooling, worked for farmers in North Dakota as well as the Waterville area. Gordon later worked at Backmans Produce in Waterville grading poultry before entering the U.S. Army. Following his discharge, he returned to Waterville and worked at a service station and later operated a dragline digging ditches. He married Thelma Lee on July 31, 1938, in Faribault. Gordon also built bridges for M & St. L railroad before finally working for McQuay in Faribault building air conditioning units. ?He is survived by four half-siblings; Esther Pagel of Albert Lea, Joyce Nelson of Carson, N.D., Donald Anderson of Salem, Ore., Vernon Anderson of Salem, Ore.; as well as several nieces and nephews. ?Gordon was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; one brother and three sisters. ?Graveside services will be held at a later date at Sakatah Cemetery in Waterville. Prosch-Dennis Funeral Home in Waterville is assisting with arrangements. He registered for the draft at Fort Snelling on 3 Mar 1945 as Gordon A Lee. He was married, had a grammar school education, and was employed in civilian life as a semi-skilled laborer.
  Person ID	I11398	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	25 Jun 2012

  
  

  Father	Andrew LEE,   b. Norway d. Unknown
  Mother	Nancy Emily DARBY,   b. 10 Dec 1891, Osceola, St. Clair County, Missouri d. 2 Dec 1981, Salem, Marion County, Oregon (Age 89 years)
  Family ID	F8582	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Thelma Delores CRAM,   b. 10 Jul 1919, Le Sueur County, Minnesota d. 9 Apr 2002 (Age 82 years)
  Marriage	31 Jul 1938	Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota
  	According to his obit. Not listed in MOMS.
  Family ID	F8581	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	14 Nov 2011