William Leroy "Bill" Lee's Obituary
William L. Lee, known and loved by family and friends as Bill, died unexpectedly on September 19th, 2015 at the youthful age of 61 years.
Born on November 27th, 1953 in the Panama Canal Zone, Bill was the eldest of four children and only son of Felix L. and Catherine A. Lee. As a young boy, Bill’s family moved frequently. When his father retired from the Army in the mid ‘60s, the family moved to Gainesville where Bill started junior high school and began putting down roots.
Bill graduated from Gainesville High School. At the University of Florida, he studied music and special education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Special Education in 1978. Bill devoted his professional life to advancing the welfare of the developmentally disabled. After 37 years, he retired in May 2015, from Tacachale, (formerly Sunland), Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) with the State of Florida, as a Management Review Specialist.
Bill was passionate about music and known as an accomplished musician. He began in junior and high school bands then started playing in garage bands with musician friends. He became part of the Gainesville rock band scene of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Throughout his life, Bill was an active and highly regarded member of the music community. He performed with many local bands over the years, playing a variety of music styles in clubs, downtown concerts and studio sessions.
Bill was devoted to his family and a very proud Dad. He is survived by his only child Katharine Lee and former wife Jean DeFlumer; sister Bonita Lee, her husband Drake Barber and their two children Jasmine Lee-Barber and Keir Lee-Barber; sister Felicia Andrew, her husband Michael and their two children Colin and Ian; sister Terrie Lee and her two children Lauren Flannery and Brian Flannery.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 26th 2015 at WILLIAMS-THOMAS FUNERAL HOME WESTAREA, 823 NW 143rd St, Newberry, FL, 32669. The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Friends of Tacachale Fund (cfncf.org).
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