William Boyce Lee came into this world early and left it entirely too early.  Known as Bill, he was born May 14, 1933 in Gastonia, NC to William Doyle Lee and Mary Myers Lee.  He spent the majority of the first months of his life in a cotton lined shoe box in the warming oven of the kitchen wood stove, precursor to today's incubator for preemies.

Bill had a love of learning that lasted his entire life.  He graduated from Bessemer City High School, Bessemer City, NC and during his lifetime completed on-line classes as well as math and history classes at the University of Maryland.  He loved to read and his interests covered a variety of topics.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Jerry Doyle Lee, North Carolina; his first wife Ethel Eugenia White, North Carolina; his second wife Bernice Crooks Lee, Virginia, and his step-grandson Fox Alexander Power, Oregon.  Survivors include his wife Mary G Lee, Virginia; daughter Debra Black and son-in-law Ken Black, North Carolina; daughter Pamela Lee, North Carolina; loved like a daughter Susan Russell, North Carolina; daughter Patricia Meyer, Virginia; step-sons Timothy Hall and Robert Hall, Virginia; Tom Hall, California; step-daughter Michelle Power, Oregon.  Bill is also survived by his grandchildren Fred Meyer and Heather Meyer, South Dakota; step-grandson  Nick Hall, Virginia; step-grandchildren in Florida and California, and once and forever son-in-law Glen Meyer (Nan), South Dakota; sisters Joyce Carpenter and Nancy Farrar, North Carolina, and Peggy Miller, South  Carolina.   He is also survived by two people who were very special to him, Brian and Elizabeth Hall, Virginia.

In keeping with Bill's wishes, there will be no funeral service nor will there be a memorial service.  Should you wish to remember him, think of him as a person of faith who loved his family; loved his country, and always, always did the right thing no matter.

Bill grew up during hard times.  As a boy, he had various jobs ranging from selling produce from the family garden to working in his father's grocery store and delivering newspapers.  Monies earned went to help support his family.  As a young man, he worked as a metal machinist in his father's  machine shop in Gastonia, NC;  a time-keeper/clerk in local Gaston County textile mills, and as a wrapping machine operator at the Holsum Baking Company in Gastonia, NC.   In 1956, he was drafted into the United States Army and after serving in several armored cavalry units, he was honorably discharged in 1960 as a Regimental Liaison Sergeant.  Bill then began a career working temporarily for the United States Post Office and then permanently for the Army Civil Service as a Logistics Manager and Combat Developer that lasted until his retirement in 2001.  His military and civilian times of service totaled 43 years and 6 months.

All his life, Bill had a variety of interests.  He loved genealogy; fishing whenever possible, especially for small mouth bass and catfish.  He loved animals and over the span of his life counted several cats and parrots (Macaws) among his fur babies and feather babies.  He gave them all attention and good care.  He loved holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas and looked forward to family and friends sharing them with him.  A major interest for him was antique automobiles.  He belonged to the Colonial Virginia Model A Ford Club; the national  Model  A Restorers  Club, and the national  Model A Ford Club of America.  Over the years, he owned several Model A's to include the speedster he built from an old junk Model A frame.  He always counted the time to build it well worth the effort because of the pleasure working on the car gave him as well as the attention the car garnered.  Bill was a participant in many road rallies nationwide with his Model A Fords.   The one most worthy of note came in 1995 when he took part in the 16 day Great North American Race from Ottawa, Canada through the United States to Mexico City, Mexico with his 1930 yellow Model A Cabriolet.

Last but certainly not least, Bill was a huge Jeopardy fan.  He and his wife Mary played the game every day for bragging rights to see who would be the daily Jeopardy Champion.  He would say often that he was going to be the Jeopardy Grand Champion, and it seems that is the case.   In the final category of Life, Bill is the first among us to answer the ultimate Jeopardy question correctly.  Rest well and say hello to Alex Trebek for us.

Arrangements are by Berceuse Funeral and Cremation Traditions in Hampton, 757-825-8070.