Larry Dean Lee

Larry was born April 28,1939 to Virginia and Claude Lee in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was the only son of a tile mason and the second of their four children.

After graduating from Pauls Valley High School, he attended The Oklahoma Baptist University. While he was a student, a visit to Calvary Baptist Church in Shawnee led to him meeting Carolyn Douglas. The two were married in 1959, and they had two wonderful daughters, Melinda and Jennifer. Larry later graduated from Oklahoma University, and was a dedicated Sooner fan the rest of his life.

His early career in the tire industry guided the family to a dozen different cities from Ohio to Arkansas and Mississippi to Tennessee through the years. In the early 80s, a job managing a Converse shoe factory brought him and his family to Lumberton, NC. As his shoe career took him around the globe, he eventually became Vice President of Manufacturing for Converse. After retiring, he moved to Virginia, where he owned and managed a specialty furniture factory.

Once the furniture business was behind him, Larry used his talents and experience to mentor hundreds of budding entrepreneurs into small business ownership through the Service Corps of Retired Executives in Richmond. And he found a different passion later in life at Habitat for Humanity for Hanover and King William counties, where he helped establish a can recycling program that remains a vital revenue stream for the organization.

Larry was predeceased by Carolyn, his wife of 64 years, just six weeks prior to his passing. He was also predeceased by his parents and his older sister, Claudia Lee Mendelbaum of Kansas City. Surviving siblings are Kathleen Lee (wife Tana) and Melody Lee Stroth. Surviving in-laws are Joyce Douglas Maxwell, Sandra Douglas Horse, and Curtis Douglas (wife Susan). He is survived by his two daughters, Melinda Lee Sams (husband Jeff) and Jennifer Lee Matthews (husband Jay). And he dearly loved his four grandchildren: Laura Sams, Kevin Sams, Trevor Matthews, and Bryce Matthews.

The family requests that any memorials be directed to Habitat for Humanity of Hanover and King William or to the charity of your choice