Virgil Merlin Lee 1922 - 1987

LEE, WINGATE, BRISCOE

Posted By: Viv Reeves (email)
Date: 2/17/2014 at 14:14:20

Onawa Democrat, Onawa, (Monona), Iowa, 14 May 1987:

VIRGIL MERLIN LEE

Virgil M. Lee, the son of Bennett and Darl Wingate Lee, was born January 7, 1922, on his parents’ farm near Soldier, Iowa, and departed this life May 2, 1987, at the Stewart Memorial Hospital in Lake City, Iowa. He lived his life to the age of 65 years, 3 months and 25 days.

Virgil grew up on a farm near Mapleton and attended and graduated from the Mapleton High School in 1939. In 1941, Virgil moved with his parents to a farm west of Lohrville. Virgil worked in Sioux City before joining the United States Navy in 1942. Following his discharge in 1946, Virgil returned to Lohrville, where he engaged in farming and fed cattle. On September 19, 1953, Virgil Lee was united in marriage to Clarice Briscoe at the Methodist Church in Denison, Iowa. The couple made their home and farmed west of Lohrville.

Virgil was a member of the United Methodist Church, Masonic Lodge and American Legion, all of Lohrville, Farm Bureau, and Iowa Cattleman’s Assn.

Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Clarice; son, Robert of Lohrville; stepchildren, Raymond Briscoe of Denver, Colo. and Mary Kay (Mrs. William) Kibby of Fort Dodge; eight grandchildren; one brother, Don Lee of Perry; *five sisters, Phyllis (Mrs. Frank) Powelson of Omaha, Nebr., Ardith (Mrs. Norman) Smith of New York City, N.Y., Maxine (Mrs. Clyde) Andersen of Boulder, Colo., and Vernice (Mrs. Urban) Rogers of Santa Fe, N.M.

Those who preceded him in death were his parents and an infant sister.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 5, 1987, at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Lohrville, with Rev. Gregory Caldwell officiating. Interment was made in the Evergreen Cemetery near Lohrville and with the American Legion Post #368 conducting military rites. Musical selections “How Great Thou Art” and “In the Garden” were rendered by organist, Mrs. Nina Black.

Serving as Honorary Casket Bearers were Paul Pearson, Thomas Hardaway, Alvin Berger, Richard Hildreth, Tony Taiber and Dale Holm. Serving as Active Casket Bearers were Joe Berger, Mike Briscoe, John Kerns, Louis Armstrong, Bryce Lee and Gale Lee.

Lee cousins of the area attending the service were the Bryce Lees, Colleen Straight and Junior Lee of Soldier, the Gale Lees and Marjorie Ruffcorn of Onawa; Palma Erickson of Ute, LaJune Godbersen of Ida Grove and Elliott Lee of Spirit Lake.

*Transcriber’s note—Though mention is made of five sisters, only four are listed. Early census records consistently list only four girls. It is possible that “five” includes the unnamed sister who died in infancy.