Lee, Herbert Melvin 'Sonny' Jr.

1934 - 2018  (83 years)

• Name	Lee, Herbert Melvin 'Sonny'
  Suffix	Jr.
  Birth	17 Dec 1934	Oilton, Creek County, Oklahoma   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Reference Number	LEE.H001
  _FGRAVE	194037679
  Military Service	Viet Nam War, Specialist Fourth Class, United States Army
  	Sonny was in the Army in the ground missile division at Travis A.F.B., Fairfield, CA
  		Flag of the United States, 50 Stars (1960 - Present) This is the current flag of the United States. This flag became the official United States flag in 1960 when a star was added for the State of Hawaii. It replaced the short-lived 49-star flag (July 4, 1959 - July 3, 1960) honoring the State of Alaska. An Executive Order by President Eisenhower provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine…
  		United States Army Emblem Prior to the establishment of the "Department of the Army Emblem", there was no official display item to identify the Army. The Seal had traditionally been used to authenticate documents only and was not authorized for public display. In recognizing the need to provide a display item, the Secretary of the Army approved the emblem design as the…
  		United States Army
  		Specialist (SPC) (E4), United States Army (1985-2019) Initially, Specialist 3rd Class (SP3) (E-3), United States Army, (Mar 1955 - Sep 1959) Later, Specialist 4th Class (SP4) (E-4), United States Army, (Sep 1958 - 1985) Can manage other enlisted Soldiers of lower rank. Has served a minimum of two years and attended a specific training class to earn this promotion. People enlisting with a…
  		Specialist (Rank) Specialist is a military rank in some countries’ armed forces. In the United States Armed Forces, it is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, above private (PVT), private (PV2), and private first class and is equivalent in pay grade to corporal. In the U.S. Space Force it consists of the four junior enlisted ranks, prior to the…
  		United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
  		Military Service Ribbons, Vietnam War (Generic), United States Army NOTE: This is a generic list of awards for Viet Nam War Veterans This veteran may be entitled to fewer or more awards than shown here Contributed by Carl Wayne Gray
  		Vietnam
  		Vietnam War (1955-1975)
  Death	15 Oct 2018	Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois   [1]
  Burial	Danville National Cemetery, Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois   [1]
  		Headstone, Lee, Herbert M.
  Person ID	I536	Carl Wayne Gray Research | Bell - Sharrett William Clem Belland Velma Margaret Sharrett Descendants
  Last Modified	3 Sep 2023

  
  

  Father	Lee, Herbert M. 'Doc'
  Mother	Stewart, Debbie
  Family ID	F563	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Living
  Children	> 1. Lee, Michael 'Mike',   b. UNKNOWN   d. 2013 > 2. Lee, Gwen > 3. Lee, Vicki
  Family ID	F475	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 17 Dec 1934 - Oilton, Creek County, Oklahoma Death - 15 Oct 2018 - Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois Burial - - Danville National Cemetery, Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Videos

  Herbert Melvin 'Sonny' Lee Jr. Sonny gets a new power washer

  
  

• Notes

  Herbert M. Lee, 83, of Fisher, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Monday, October 15, 2018 at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana. Herb was born December 17, 1934 in Oilton, Oklahoma, the son of Debbie (Stewart) Lee Myers and Herbert M. (“Doc”) Lee. Raised in Southern Illinois, he graduated from Clay City High School, the only child in his family to do so. On September 11, 1957 he married the love of his life, the former Marian Bell, in Olney, Illinois. She survives, lovingly releasing him from this life after 61 years of marriage. Herb and Marian are the parents of three children, Michael (Lisa), who sadly died in 2013, Gwen (Mark) Farnsworth of Murfreesboro, Tennessee and Vicki (Tony) Monaghan of Mercedes, Texas. Also surviving are one sister, Nancy Coble; ten grandchildren, Travis (Melissa) Barnhart, Kacie (Daniel) Lind, Matthew McGarigle, Lauren Farnsworth, Caleb Farnsworth, Owen Farnsworth, Mikayla (Ben) Wallace, Cameron Johnson, Caitlin (Micah) McCoy and Shannon Monaghan and five great-grandchildren, Eli Barnhart, Nora Lind, Mikynlee Wallace, Sam and Sadie McCoy. In addition to his son, Herb was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters, Jean Dulaney, Mary Jo Scammahorn and Dorothy Hough. Known by his family as Sonny, he greatly loved his many nieces and nephews, sisters in law and brothers in law who became the brothers he never had. Herb retired as an over-the-road truck driver, but was also a talented carpenter and woodworker. After retiring he began driving a school bus for Fisher schools. He loved “his” bus kids, decorating and having en-route parties for various holidays and especially enjoyed having end-of-the-year pizza parties for them. Herb was a favorite among the school’s athletic teams and also enjoyed driving them as often as possible. He was even featured in a WCIA news segment called “Good News” which highlighted his dedication to the kids he transported safely every day. Herb was saddened when he was forced into “retirement” from his bus driving career for health reasons in 2005. His love for his bus kids was reciprocated throughout the years even up to his final days as these kids, now adults, would recognize him with hugs and handshakes whenever they saw him in the community, some even visiting him in the hospital during his last few days. Herb will be greatly missed by his family, his many friends and neighbors, his community and his dear friends and fishing buddies Steve Zehr and David Nugent. Sunset Funeral Home

  
  

• Sources

  [S635] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Lee, Herbert M., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194037679/herbert-m_-lee), none. (Reliability: 2).