George Lee Saunders Jr.

He was born in Washington, DC and lived in the Washington metropolitan area his entire life. After more than 98 years of life, George Lee Saunders, Jr. passed away in his sleep on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at the Vitality Assisted Living facility in Arlington, Virginia. Although the last three years did not go as he had hoped and planned, he lived a long, full, and interesting life.

He graduated from McKinley High School in 1945 and went into the US Army immediately after graduation. He served through the end of World War II and was called up from the US Army Reserves to serve during the Korean War. In the last years of his life, he was proud to be a military veteran of both WWII and the Korean War with the rank of Sergeant. He learned how to drive large Army vehicles and, after his military service, he took that experience and his knowledge of the historical sites in Washington, DC and became a sightseeing bus operator for Gray Line Tours in Washington, DC. He later went to work for Sears, Roebuck, and Company in store security at several of the DC area stores.

When he became self-employed, this afforded him the time and opportunity to volunteer for various activities and to travel, taking long trips to places like Hawaii and Florida.

He had an interest in electronics (and fixing things) in high school. Eventually, this led him to pursue and obtain his Amateur Radio Operators License (KR4MU) to become a HAM radio operator. He proudly displayed his call-sign as his car’s license plate. His HAM status led him into other volunteer activities like working with Operation Skywarn. He eventually found his calling as a volunteer with the American Red Cross at the Arlington Chapter. This merged his radio interests with his desire to travel and to help others during disaster recovery. He volunteered until the Arlington Chapter of the American Red Cross closed and he still had many friends in those communities of the American Red Cross and the HAM radio operators.

When he was growing up, within the Saunders family members in the Hampton, Virginia area, he was known as “Little Lee” to distinguish him from his dad “Big Lee.” He was preceded in death by his mother, Marie, his father, George Lee Saunders, Sr., and his former wife, Grace. He is survived by his sons Gary and Steve, and his grandson Christopher.

There will be a Celebration of Life scheduled for a later date in the spring of 2025 and interment at the Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined.