Oliver Lee Hess Cromwell

Portland resident Oliver “Lee” Hess Cromwell passed away on September 1, 2010. He was 85. A graveside service with Military Honors will be at 11 AM on Thursday, September 9 at Willamette National Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at East Hill Church at a later date.

Lee was born May 11, 1925 in Ford, Washington to George J. and Evelyn (Hess) Cromwell. His father was a railway conductor and his mother was a homemaker, both born in Missouri. When Lee was three years old, the family moved to Kinzua, Oregon: a small town near Fossil, Oregon that no longer exists. Hs father worked in the sawmill as a brakeman on the log train. Lee joined the service in 1942 when he was 17 years old. He enlisted in the Coast Guard and served in the Aleutian Islands. He was honorably discharged in 1946. Lee settled in Portland, Oregon and began working for the Portland Police Department. He married Jeanne on November 15, 1958. After 25 years, Lee retired from the Portland Police Department and went on to work as a Deputy Corrections Officer for Multnomah County at Rocky Butte Jail for eight years.

Lee was a member of the Masonic Friendship Lodge #160 and served as Worshipful Master in 1978. Lee was very much an outdoorsman. He loved to fish, especially for salmon and hunt deer in Eastern Oregon. Lee enjoyed spending time in his vegetable garden which was very large. He also grew flowers, berries and fruit trees. He lived behind a school yard and his garden was so impressive that the teachers would bring students over to his yard to use his garden as a teaching aide.

Lee was preceded in death by his sister, Vivian Day. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Jeanne; daughters, Linda D. Standow of Lake Stevens, WA; Linda J. Johnston of Portland, OR; Jan D. Johnston of Clackamas, OR; Tracey Lee Clarke of Stevenson, WA; son, Greg L. Johnston of Canby, OR; 9 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Remembrances may be sent to the Portland Police Sunshine Division.

Arrangements under the direction of Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, Gresham, OR.