William F. Lee's Obituary
William Frederick Lee, Davidson CountyLEE, William Frederick, age 96 of Nashville, April 12, 2012. Born June 12, 1915 in Dover, Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his parents, Silas Monroe and Mattie Martin Lee; his four siblings, Robert Edward Lee, John Morris Lee, Russell Lee, and Mary Lee Foust; and his loving wife of 62 years, Martha Rubel Lee. He is survived by his three children, Jean Ann (Aaron) Sullins, W. Fred (Dr. Jeri) Lee, Jr., and Amanda (Doug) Crabtree; ten grandchildren, Lance Bowers, Mindy Smith, Christy Bennett, Angie (Chad) Hunter, Jamie (Steven) Carter, William F. (Betty) Lee, III, Dr. Rachel (Virgil) Russell, Andrew Crabtree, Greg (Marissa) Sullins, Sherry (Kip) Lester; 20 great grandchildren, Zachary and Bailey Hampton, Kendall Miller, Wesley, Jonah, and Brilee Hunter, Macinsie, Joseph, and Lee Anna Bennett, Kennede, Sadie, and Ellie Lee, Kobe and Anna Beth Carter, Daphne Russell, Alexandra Minor, Bryce and Aaryn Grace Lester, Blake Sullins, and Ashley (Joe) Wells, and one great-great grandchild, Jaygo Wells. A graduate of Clarksville High School, he worked for The Clarksville Star and The Leaf Chronicle until the onset of World War II when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman. His duty stations included: Paris Island, South Carolina, Sydney, Australia, New Guinea, The Philippines, Saipan, Okinawa, and Wake Island, aboard several surface ships, including the U.S.S. Pennsylvania. He married his sweetheart, Martha Rubel while home on leave March 22, 1945. At war’s end, they moved to their newly built home in the Glenwood area of Clarksville, and he resumed his printing career with The Leaf Chronicle. They moved in 1949 to their present home in Nashville where they successfully raised three children and Fred continued his career as a skilled linotype operator, working for Rich Printing Company, and later for the Newspaper Printing Corporation. Though he had to retrain in his mid-fifties when offset printing replaced the linotype machine, he rarely missed a day of work and was a solid example of the “greatest generation” in all aspects of his life. Mr. Lee was active in the Dudley Miller Sunday School Class at Inglewood Baptist Church well into his nineties and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. He will be missed by his neighbors and church friends, and will be long remembered as the greatest father any three children could ever have had. Funeral services will be held at 11:30 am on Monday, April 16th at Spring Hill Funeral Home, 5110 Gallatin Road, Nashville, with Jim Chatham, Officiate and W. Fred Lee, Jr., Eulogist. Graveside service will follow at 1:30 pm at the Greenwood Cemetery in Clarksville. Active Pallbearers will be Lance Bowers, Andrew Crabtree, Doug Crabtree, Howell Foust, William F. Lee, III, Billy Rubel, Randy Rubel, Virgil Russell, and Aaron Sullins. Honorary Pallbearers will be members of the Dudley Miller Sunday School Class at Inglewood Baptist Church. Visitation with the family will be from 2:00 – 4:00 pm on Sunday, April 15th at Spring Hill Funeral Home, and again on Monday from 10:30 am to time of service.
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