Obituary for Gary Gordon Lees
Graveside services for Gary Lees, 76, of Ben Wheeler, are scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Friday, March 24, 2023, at Chandler Memorial Cemetery, with Dannie Hefner officiating. Interment will follow under the direction of Chandler Memorial Funeral Home.
Mr. Lees passed away on March 17, 2023, in Tyler.
Gary Gordon Lees was born on August 23, 1946, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the son of Gordon Lyle Lees and Corinne Mable (Pierce) Lees. He graduated from Nishna Valley High School of Hasting, Iowa, in 1965 and attended Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Growing up in Iowa, he attended a one-room schoolhouse and was involved in his family’s farm. Gary served in the United States Army from April 1969 until November 1970 as military police. He returned to farming and later moved to Texas to further his work as an electrical engineer, which took him to various countries such as Venezuela, Kazakhstan, and Brazil. Gary’s hobbies have included spelunking, camping, visiting ghost towns, jeep trails, collecting guns, restoring antique cars, and traveling.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Susie Lees of Ben Wheeler; his children, Mike Lees and wife Gretchen of Wright City and Jennifer Lees of Tyler; his siblings, Joe Lees and wife Marsha of Hastings, Iowa, Connie Jones and husband Marion of Drummond, Montana; and his grandchildren Donavan Sanders, Khloe Jester, Cullen Lees, and Daisy Lees.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2023, from 6-8:00 p.m. at Chandler Memorial Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Chandler Memorial Funeral Home family.
Mr. Lees passed away on March 17, 2023, in Tyler.
Gary Gordon Lees was born on August 23, 1946, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the son of Gordon Lyle Lees and Corinne Mable (Pierce) Lees. He graduated from Nishna Valley High School of Hasting, Iowa, in 1965 and attended Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Growing up in Iowa, he attended a one-room schoolhouse and was involved in his family’s farm. Gary served in the United States Army from April 1969 until November 1970 as military police. He returned to farming and later moved to Texas to further his work as an electrical engineer, which took him to various countries such as Venezuela, Kazakhstan, and Brazil. Gary’s hobbies have included spelunking, camping, visiting ghost towns, jeep trails, collecting guns, restoring antique cars, and traveling.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Susie Lees of Ben Wheeler; his children, Mike Lees and wife Gretchen of Wright City and Jennifer Lees of Tyler; his siblings, Joe Lees and wife Marsha of Hastings, Iowa, Connie Jones and husband Marion of Drummond, Montana; and his grandchildren Donavan Sanders, Khloe Jester, Cullen Lees, and Daisy Lees.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2023, from 6-8:00 p.m. at Chandler Memorial Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Chandler Memorial Funeral Home family.