Donald R. Lee, 92, of Mokena, formerly of Waggoner, died on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at Lemont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Memorial services were conducted Friday, April 14, at Davis-Anderson Funeral Home in Girard. Burial followed at Camp Butler National Cemetery in Springfield with full military rites.
Mr. Lee was born Feb. 1, 1931, in Springfield, to Patrick J. and Mary (Sabo) Lee. He married Edna McCall on April 14, 1956, and she preceded him in death.
He graduated from Feitschans High School in Springfield with the class of 1949. He graduated from Illinois State Normal University in August 1962.
During his career, Mr. Lee worked at Allis Chalmers Mfg. Co. as a draftsman for eight years. After serving two years in the U.S. Army and six years in the National Guard, he was promoted to Sergeant First Class. For 13 years, he taught at multiple schools, including North Greene High School, Calhoun High School, Baldwin High School in Baldwin, MI, and Girard High School. He was known to his students very simply as, “Doc.”
Upon leaving teaching, he was elected to the school board and served as president. For 17 years, he worked as a senior draftsman at Dickey-John Corp., where he finished his career.
After retiring, Mr. Lee loved to cultivate his garden, take photographs for everyone, create items in his woodworking shop, work the elections and tend his farm. One of his big woodworking accomplishments was building the “Welcome to Girard” signs at the edge of town.
He is survived by his daughters, Kayona Lee of Auxvasse, MO, Kressie (Andy) Maricle of Mokena and Kelleigh (Roy) DeMonbrun; granddaughters, Kassandra (Steven) Fry of Powell, TN, Angelina (James) Martin of Honesdale, PA, and Alexandra DeMonbrun; six great-grandchildren; one niece; and several cousins.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Lee was preceded in death by his parents; son, Kevin Ray Lee; sister, Patsy Ruth Cooper; brother-in-law, Lowell Cooper; and cousins, Gary Bright, Robert Sinkus and Dan McKennedy.
Memorials may be directed to the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, 57 Country Place, Springfield, IL 62703. Checks can be made payable to “Land of Lincoln Honor Flight,” or donations can be made by visiting www.landoflincolnhonorflight.org. Memorials can also be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by visiting www.stjudge.org/donate.
Online condolences to the family may be left at www.davisandersonfuneralhome.com.
