LEE, Delbert Sherman

LEE, TAYLOE, COE, STONEBURNER, AMEND

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 9/4/2020 at 06:58:26

Delbert Sherman Lee

Delbert Sherman Lee, age 88, the son of Tony Calvin and Goldie Elizabeth (Tayloe) Lee, was born May 11, 1932, in Stratford, Iowa. He died at his Leon, Iowa home on Friday, August 28, 2020.

Delbert grew up and attended school in Luther, Iowa until the family moved to Des Moines, Iowa where he graduated from Lincoln High School in 1950. He worked in the Des Moines area until he moved to Colorado in 1961, where he attended college and graduated from Colorado State University in 1967. He taught vocational education at the community college in Denver, Colorado before accepting a position with the U.S. Department of Education on the Island of Truk in Micronesia.

When he returned to the United States, he made Colorado his home base and built churches across the country for the next nine years. In 1976, he moved to Leon, Iowa, planning only to stay long enough to build a house for a relative. One thing led to another and he has been here ever since.

Delbert was married to Marilyn Louise Coe for 23 years. They were blessed with three children, Vicky, Dell, and Valarie. In 1974, Delbert remarried, to Delores Rae (Stoneburner) Amend, and enjoyed 46 years with her. He welcomed her two daughters, Debbie and Pamela, into his family.

Delbert prided himself on his expertise in construction, working most of his life as a general contractor and a bricklayer. He also was interested in civic affairs and served as the Mayor of Leon and the Decatur County Magistrate. Additionally, he served on many local committees, was a member of the Grand River Masonic Lodge #77, and served as Worshipful Master, a Za-Ga-Zig Shriner, was a member of the Hobos serving as King for a year working for charity, and was an ordained Baptist minister. In his free time Delbert enjoyed playing pool and songwriting. He also wrote poetry and entered many contests at Java Joe’s in Des Moines.

Delbert always lived by these words and shared this valuable piece of advice to his children - Give back more than you get.

Preceding him in death were his parents; and siblings and their spouses: Frances & Travis Shankle; Evelyn & Charles Keeley; Eula & Marvin Bass; Toney & Opal Lee; Dovie Lee; John & Jean Lee; George & Marge Lee; and Ray Lee. Survivors include his wife, Dee Lee of Leon; children, Vicky Lee of Leon, Dell Lee & Annette Boswell of Davis City, Iowa, Valarie & Jim Hoover of Roanoke, Virginia, Debbie & Greg Spiegle of Mountain Home, Arkansas, and Pam Burnette of Leon; 16 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; brother, Norman Lee and wife, Irene, of Seattle, Washington; sister-in-law, Cathy Lee in Michigan; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives and many friends.

A graveside service will be held at the Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Iowa at 2 p.m. Wednesday, September 2, 2020. A memorial fund has been established by the Family.