Leland grew up on a farm. As a kid he loved to roller skate. Lee, as he was known to family and friends left home around the age of 18 to work in the crystal mines of Wyoming. He enjoyed going back to Wyoming to visit the mines. Lee enjoyed going to Colorado to camp and fish with his family. He was a very confident and independent man. Lee had a strong belief that if you borrowed anything you pay it back. He hated a thief and a lair. Lee joined the navy and he rescued a pilot from a damaged plane landing single handed. He was married 3 times and had two children, Naomi and Leland Jr.
Lee worked for the post office as a letter carrier until he hurt his back and was disabled. He moved to Canton, Texas in 1975. In 1978 he met the love of his life, Ms. Johnnie Miller. He hated talking on the phone but he called Johnnie every night at 10:00 pm. Lee tiled the land and planted a garden and ate what he grew. Every week Lee and Johnnie would drive to Tyler and shop at Sam's to buy what he didn't grow.
Lee loved carpentry work, his wood shop had everything. Lee built cabinets chairs and made small wooden swings to donate. He enjoyed working on car. When his house burned down in 1982, Lee picked his self back and built a better one with his own two hands.
Lee and Johnnie were together for 38 years when she passed. Her passing left him crushed. Soon after he fell off the top of his barn, then had a stoke. He never seem to want to get his health back, and he went down from there. Lee believed in God and was a member of Bethany Baptist Church.
He is preceded in death by his grandson, Daniel Ray Melrose; parents, Junetta and Walter Melrose; sisters, Ella and Dolly; his beloved love, Johnnie Miller. They were waiting for him when he went to be the Lord Jesus in heaven.
Lee is survived by his children, Naomi Jean Melrose and Leland Bennett Melrose; grandson, Andrew Matthew Johnson; great grand children, Genesis D. Johnson, Anthony Johnson, Andrew M. Johnson, Jr., and Daniel R. Melrose, Jr.; brothers, Eldon, Elwin, Dean and Aubrey; sister, Christine.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18