Wilfred LEE

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LEE: Wilfred Stanley Lee. Wilf passed away on Monday, March 23, 2009 at the Morley House Personal Care Home, Shoal Lake. Born July 7, 1917 in the old stone house on his parents’ original homestead near Newdale, Manitoba, Wilf was the youngest of nine children to Robert Steele and Sarah (nee McAfee) Lee. He was predeceased by his infant son Robert (1954) and beloved wife Monty (nee Henderson) on September 30, 2006. Also predeceased were his siblings Leslie (Margaret Wheaton), Ina, Isabella (Ingvald Strand), Amelia (Amy) (Earl Hamilton), Lynetta (Lindy), Ben, Laurene (Herb Stebbing) and Laura. Ben’s wife Gwen (Thierry) still lives in Parksville, B. C. He is survived by his children Lindy (Ken Van Ameyde), Sherry (Rory Wallace), Mark (Maria Smargiasso) and Debby (Floyd Robertson) and six grandchildren plus many nieces and nephews. Wilf enjoyed farming. Though he grew up on a mixed farm, he turned to straight grain farming. As with most farmers, he would rise early and work late to get the crop in and off. His early schooling began at a one room school – Pattison – and finished at the Newdale School. Like all his siblings he went on to further education. He attended the University of Manitoba diploma course for agriculture and graduated in 1935 receiving the gold medal. Wilf was an avid sportsman and keen competitor. He enjoyed playing baseball. So much so that he picked up Monty and his new infant Sherry at 6:30 in the morning, brought them home and then made the first game at the Elphinstone July 1 tournament. The Lee’s had made a 2 hole golf course in the family farmyard where he competed against his sisters. He continued playing golf into his early 80’s. Each year he would find time to golf in the Gray Owl and Tammerack tournaments. It was at Clear Lake that he scored a hole in one. Curling was his major wintertime activity. In the same year he scored an eight ender, he had one scored against him. He was a life member of the Manitoba Curling Assoc. Wilf dated Monty when she returned home for a summer visit and swept her off her feet with his dancing (taught by his 6 sisters). He followed her to Toronto and they married in the fall of 1950. As the kids got older, they would take winter holidays to the States and once to Germany where Monty’s brother was stationed. Wilf was a dominant presence to his children of who he was very proud of, nieces and nephews (to whom he was known as Uncle Wolf) and extended family of Sandi and Carolynne, softening with age. He was noted for a dry and sly humor and reciting poetry learned in his youth.He never got over Monty’s death – we hope he is at peace now. A graveside funeral service will be held at the Strathclair Cemetery, Strathclair, Manitoba, on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. Rev. Bill Doyle will officiate. If friends so desire donations may be made to the Strathclair Rink Management Fund, Strathclair, Manitoba R0J 2C0 or to a charity of their choice. Remembrances and condolences may be emailed to raesfs@mts.netRae’s Funeral Service of Shoal Lake and Erickson are in care of the arrangements. 204-759-2160.

As published in Brandon Sun on Mar 27, 2009