Melvin W. Lee, 85, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, died Friday, July 9, 2010 at Tift Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Monday, July 12, 2010 at the Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Fitzgerald with Dr. Mike Ruffin officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7-9 Sunday evening at the funeral home.
Mr. Lee was born August 16, 1924 in Ocilla to the late Jim M. and Jessie Harper Lee. He lived in Ben Hill and Irwin Counties most of his life, graduating from Ocilla High School in 1941. Mr. Lee was former parts and service manager for several automobile dealerships, a former employee of Pinkerton Security and Burch-Hudson Funeral Home. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II where he was in Air Offensive in Japan, China and India Burma. He was awarded the Certificate of Merit, World War II Victory Medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Service Medal with 3 Bronze Stars and Good Conduct Medal. He was a devoted member of the First Baptist Church and was the Sunday School Dept. Secretary for many many years. Mr. Lee was a loving husband, brother, grandfather and uncle. He was a big supporter of the Right To Live and the Pregnancy Hot line.
He is survived by his wife: Marian Lee of Fitzgerald; stepsons: Jack (Jeannie) Rawdin of Sautee Nacoochee and Richard G. Green of Fitzgerald and Woodstock; sisters: Burnell Bryant and Sue L. McGee, both of Fitzgerald; several grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Mildred Conner Lee, a brother, Edison Lee and a sister, Hazel Lee.