Visitation will be 11:00am-1:00pm, Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl. Memorial services will follow at 1:00pm in the funeral home chapel.
Willie was born August 16, 1937, in McKenzie, Alabama, a son of the late Council and Minnie Lee. Survivors include his wife, Dianne Lee; son, Marcus Lee and wife Angela; daughter, Bethany Harper and husband Roy; sisters, Fran Lucas, Florrie Lassiter, and Mary Wright; and grandchildren, Morgan Christine Lee, Macey Larkin Lee, Manning Woods Lee, and McKenzie Rose Lee, as well as many nephews and nieces. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings, Gifford Lee, Glenn Lee, Ted Lee, Lessie Hutchins, and Wilsie Padgett.
Master Sergeant Lee’s military career spanned from his enlistment in the U.S. Army in 1957 to his retirement in 1978. He had two tours of duty in Korea and one in Alaska. A decorated veteran, Willie received the National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea), Good Conduct Medal, and Expert Qualification Badge for rifle marksmanship. He was a Soldier of the Year in the 1970s at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. Following his retirement from the military, Willie served as a Jr. R.O.T.C. instructor for the Jackson Public Schools, retiring in 1994. He enjoyed mentoring and building relationships with young people and future soldiers. He was a long time member of Pearl Presbyterian Church. He was also a passionate self-taught photographer and took many wedding, ball and prom pictures as Lee Photo.
He liked to introduce himself as Willie G and often added, “The G. stands for Great!” Willie G. was known for his humor, kindness, generosity of spirit, and down home Alabama charm. He was a natural storyteller and everyone who knew him loved to hear him relate tales about his Alabama upbringing and kinfolk. He was generous to not only family and friends but to anyone he met in need. He was well loved and will be greatly missed.
