Shelburn Farrah Lee

Shelburn Farrah Lee, 93, of White Hall, died Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff. A native of the Grapevine community, he served in the Navy during World War II and was assigned to a naval air station in Rhode Island where as an aviation metalsmith he made parts to repair the Chance Vought Corsair, the carrier-capable fighter aircraft flown by the Navy and Marines. He received a commendation for a suggestion to increase production of the spare parts. Following his discharge, he attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees in agriculture. He taught agriculture at Dumas for 11 years and his wife, Mary Ella Beaver Lee, taught at the Dumas elementary school. He was designated a Ding Dong Daddy of Dumas in 2004. After leaving the classroom, he was a territory manager for more than a decade with Oliver Corp., the farm equipment firm. He later established the Lee Co. in Pine Bluff to sell power tools and lawn equipment, closing the firm in 1992 when he retired. He was invited to fly to the nation's capital in October 2012 to tour the World War II Memorial and received his commemorative pin from retired Army Brig. Gen. Evelyn "Pat" Foote, one of the original members of the memorial committee. "It was a very moving experience," Lee said later. "I am not ashamed to say I cried more than once." A member of Central Presbyterian Church, he was a Sunday school teacher for 50 years. He was preceded in death by Mary Ella, his wife of 59 years. Survivors include three sons, Brent (Susan) Lee of Atlanta, Lloyd (Lew) Lee of Pine Bluff and Kim (Anne) Lee of Atlanta, and seven grandchildren, Kendall, Morgan, Jennifer, Cedric, Mary Elizabeth, Nathaniel and Nicholas Lee. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Chapel of Ralph Robinson & Son, with Reverend Jim Monroe officiating. Graveside services will follow at Clement Cemetery, Grapevine. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 Sunday afternoon at the funeral home. Individuals wishing to leave a lasting memorial have been asked to consider White Hall Veterans Memorial care of White Hall City Hall. Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.