The Ford Family

Nickname	Pop
Born	March 24, 1917 Shelby, Alabama
Died	October 10, 2013 Cleveland, TN
Father	Charles Theo Lee
Mother	Bertie Lou Lee

Spouse	Willi Ruth Lee
Married	May 23, 1938 Alabama
Children	Sandra Marie Purper William Lee

Bio
Pop grew up on a great big farm. He was the middle of 5 children born into his father's second marriage. Pop was only 6 when his father died of a massive heart attack. He worked that farm hard with the other kids and they eventually split up some of the land. He built a home on it for himself and his new bride, Ruth Simpson Lee, whom he married in May of 1938.

Their daughter Sandra was born not long after, and before too long Pop went to WWII with the Navy. He was a mechanic repairing the airplanes and never left the US. When he got out of the war he secured a good job as a mechanic in the Leeds plant Universal Atlas Cement, a division of US Steel. He went to school at night and earned a degree in Engineering from the University of Alabama. He then became a mechanical engineer for the plant.

Bill and Ruth had another child - a son they named Billy. He was the apple of everyone's eye, and big sis Sandra took great care of him. In fact, she developed a nick name, and the family called her Sis from then on. Soon Pop was moving up in the ranks of the company, and during his daughter's senior year in high school he was promoted up to a plant in Pittsburgh. Even though Sandy's Aunt offered to let her live with their family during this year, the Lees dragged their son and daughter north, kicking and screaming. Sandy graduated but married immediately afterwards -- to Bob Sturm!

William P Lee was promoted again to Superintendant of Maintenance & Service in the Leeds plant in 1970, so he and Ruth moved back south. Billy stayed north to finish college in Wooster Ohio and Sandy was raising her three boys in North Olmsted, Ohio. Pop retired in 1977 from Universal but his strong work ethic left him searching for a new career. He found his calling as the Administrator for a nursing home called Fairhaven in Cleveland Tennessee. Billy was by this time working for the TVA out of Knoxville so now Ruth was only 45 minutes from Bill and his family.

He was a faithful and active church member and was always busy with his woodworking projects and taking care of his home. He made many fine pieces of furniture that his family cherished. He and Ruth lived together in their own home until Pop became ill at 96 years old. They had to move to an assisted living facility, which began the quick decline of Bill's health. They moved to the center after a while, and on October 10th, just three months later, Bill passed away. He was loved, admired and respected by all who knew him and served as a strong role model for his grandsons. His great grandson Michael and Mathew Sturm were blessed to have known him.