Obituary for Richard Thomas Lee

Richard Thomas "Dick" Lee, age 96, passed away Thursday, September 28, 2023, in Gun Barrel City, TX.

He was born on April 24, 1927, in Dallas, TX, to Wardie Thomas Lee and Louise Arning Lee.  Dick married Thelma Ruth Lee on March 5, 1949, in Dallas.  He was a long-time member of Chinn's Chapel United Methodist Church in Lewisville, TX

Dick was born at Baylor Hospital in Dallas and spent the majority of his years in the Dallas area.  He began working at age 14 at his father's service station in Dallas.  At age 16, he moved to California for a brief stay with his family where he attended high school and joined the US Navy at age 17.  He was deployed to Saipan in 1944, where his Navy unit built an airstrip and maintained the carrier airplane fleet on land and sea near the end of WWII.  After discharge from the Navy in 1946, the family moved back to TX where he worked at his father's service station, Watson Plumbing Company, Dallas Railway, and then he started his own television sales and repair business.  In 1977, he obtained the TX Real Estate License, followed by the TX Real Estate Broker and TX Real Estate Securities License.  He worked for several real estate companies in the DeSoto/Lancaster area until his retirement when he moved to Denton County where he spent the remainder of his years before moving to assisted living in Gun Barrel, TX, in March 2023.

Dick was a family man who sincerely loved all of his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and extended family.  He was a Cub Sout leader, Chamber of Commerce member, Olympic Torch carrier, member of the Greater Dallas Board of Realtors and Texas State Securities Board, and a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).  He traveled to Washington D.C. in 2011 for the WWII Freedom Flight and also to New Orleans in 2019 to tour the National WWII Museum.  He was also a devoted Dallas Cowboys fan, never missing a game.  At his last residence in assisted living, on karaoke night he performed a great rendition of "God Bless America" to the residents' delight.

Dick was truly a man for all seasons.  Well done, good and faithful servant.   (Matthew 25:23)

Special thanks to The Lodge Assisted Living and Solaris Hospice for their excellent care and family support.

Dick is survived by daughter Linda Mynar and husband Bill; daughter Sherry Hill; son Richard T. Lee II; grandchildren Lance Hill, Lisa Hemby, Jeremy Lee, and Amie Lopez; 8 great grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and step grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by wife Thelma Ruth Lee; son Tim Lee; grandchildren Jeff Barton and Allison Barton; infant Richard T. Lee, III; great granddaughter infant Lydia Lopez; sons-in-law Jerry Barton and Gordon Hill.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, October 8, at 3:00 p.m., preceded by friends and family visitation at 2:00 p.m., at Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home in Lewisville, TX.  Interment will be held at the VA National Cemetery in Dallas, TX, on Wednesday, October 11, at 11:00 a.m. (line up at 10:45),

Memorials may be made to Chinn's Chapel United Methodist Church, 1000 Chinn Chapel Road, Lewisville, TX 7077.