Lee H. LaTour

1921 to 2013

She left him in the Springtime.....He followed her in the Fall. Once again together and in the glorious presence of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Lee and Myrtle are forever celebrating. They met and married in 1946 in San Diego California as W,W, II was ending. He the young "Sailor boy" and she the adventurous "Rosie the Riveter."

Lee was looking forward to these re-acquaintances and family reunions as many friends and family members preceded him in death. In addition to his wife Myrtle of 66 years, are his parents Lee La Vita LaTour and Helen Pauline Hoover, his sister Helen (Bob) Geckelmeyer. Those surviving him whom he is expecting along in turn are his Stepson, Jack (Fay) Harvey; grandson Jason (Alicia) Harvey; granddaughter Keli (Scott) Mayberry; great grandsons Bryan and Jackson Harvey and Cody and Josiah Mayberry; great-great grandson Lucas Harvey; great granddaughters Frances Harvey Emmons, Hannah Harvey Allen and Elizabeth Harvey; great-great granddaughters Skyler Harvey, Hallie and Carrie Emmons and Kylie Allen as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Lee was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska . He graduated Louisville High School in 1940, signed up for draft in the Navy and was called up in 1943. He served in airplane maintenance on the Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. Wake Island in the Atlantic, Luzon, Okinawa and Iwo Jima after serving in the Pacific, Philippines and North and South Africa.

During his duty the Carrier was damaged out of commission by a Japanese Kamikaze. He spent a month on board ship in Guam while the injured and dead were cared for and extensive repairs were made. He was later aboard ship off the coast of Iwo Jima awaiting orders to hit the beach to assist the ground troops in taking the Island. Oh, what a celebration aboard the Wake Island when those Sailors saw "Old Glory" hoisted up on the beach! They were ever grateful to those five Marines and the Navy Corpsman who scaled Mount Suribachi and raised the flag that fateful day in Feb.1945.

After his tour of duty Lee stayed in the Navy Reserves and worked Civil Service in aircraft maintenance at Coronado Island Navy Base, California. In the 1970's his crew repaired one of the Blue Angel's planes when they were on tour in San Diego. He loved the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum where he spent many hours remembering history and giving informal tour guides. He helped raise his step-son Jack Harvey, participated in Church activities and danced away many hours with Myrtle as members of the "Black Mountain Squares." Together he and Myrtle made many trips to visit the east coast and finally retired to Pensacola in 1978. He was an active member of the Brownsville Assembly of God Church and spent many fun hours of activities and travel with the "Golden Agers" church group. They continued to make annual trips to California and North Carolina and even visited the White House with friends a few times. During these last 35 years Lee has been known as "Pappy" to the four generations of younger family members who know him as a truly genuine patriot and one of the last of "America's Great Generation." Please celebrate Lee's life with us on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at the Brownsville Assembly of God Church, 3100 W. DeSoto Street. The viewing will be at 10:00 a.m. and the celebration service will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Pastor Evon Horton officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to the Brownsville Assembly of God Church.

BAYVIEW FISHER-POU CHAPEL, 3351 Scenic Highway is entrusted with arrangements.

Condolences may be offered at www.bayviewfisher-pouchapel.com