Earl Harvey Lee

Always a hard worker, Earl began working on a dairy farm at eight years old and finally fully retired when he was ninety-one.

Earl served as a Seaman First Class in the US Navy from 1944-1946, making him one of fewer than 120,000 surviving WWII veterans. He enlisted in the Navy when he turned seventeen. After basic training at the Sampson Naval Base on Seneca Lake, Earl went to gunnery school to learn how to operate 30mm guns. He served in the Pacific on the JW VanDyke as one of thirteen US Navy Armed Guard seamen defending oil tankers from enemy aircraft, ships, and submarines. He then served on a naval destroyer until his discharge.

Earl went on to become an officer for the Binghamton Police Department. He started out walking the beat, eventually became a motorcycle officer, then graduated to a patrol car, retiring 20 years later. It was a job that suited him; Earl was an honorable man who placed the highest value on knowing right from wrong.

Earl came out of retirement to drive the ramp truck for Gary's U-Pull It. He hauled record amounts of vehicles in a day, often precariously but always efficiently!

Earl was a great storyteller and could vividly recount stories from over eighty years ago. He loved holding court while telling tales almost as much as he loved a good prank. The fake dog poop and magnetic bullet holes were fun, but the portable fart machine hidden beneath the chairs of his unsuspecting victims was what really made him crack up.

Earl and his wife Edna were married for 54 years. During that time, they traveled throughout the United States together, visiting every state except Hawaii. The saying 'opposites attract' certainly held true for them. Thankfully, they shared a love for travel and adventure. Fate also played a role: the first meal she ever made for him was beans and hot dogs. Little did she know that was Earl's favorite.

Earl was generous to a fault, often giving things away and then having to turn around and buy a replacement for himself. If you needed help, he was the first to show up with a tractor and a plan. It wasn't always pretty, but he got the job done!

Earl is survived by his children Sherrie Anepete, Lynette Beamer, Eric Beamer (Catherine), and Diana Polumba (James), brother-in-law and sister-in-law Gary and Linda Beagell and their children Becky Beagell (Nathan) and Travis Beagell (Erin.) Earl is also survived by many nieces and nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his breakfast buddy of twenty years, Andrew Brechko.

Earl was predeceased by his loving wife, Edna; his daughters, Leta and Susan; his son, Ricky Beamer; his brothers, Arnold Lee and Norman Lee; and his sister, Aleta Lee Horkott.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Lourdes Hospice and Jill Julian for Earl's compassionate care at home. Those wishing kindly consider donations to Lourdes Hospice, 4102 Vestal Road, Vestal, NY 13850.

At Earl's request, there will be no calling hours or funeral. If you'd like to honor his memory, grab breakfast at your favorite diner and share some stories. And don't ask for a menu; that's for amateurs.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.WmRChase.com for the Lee family.