Van Wayne Lee

Van Wayne Lee passed away on Wednesday December 9th at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith. Van was born on Feb. 3, 1941 in Fort Smith Arkansas to George and Floy Lee. He attended Fort Smith High School, where he was a standout athlete in basketball and football, including All-State Football honors in his junior and senior years. He continued his athletic career at Arkansas Tech University where he played defensive back for the Wonder Boys from 1959-61. Van then transferred to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where he completed his degree in Civil Engineering in 1964. After various positions in engineering and several years managing his own firm, Van became the Director of Engineering for the City of Fort Smith, a position he held for 23 years. In this role, he oversaw the construction of several major street projects in the city. After retiring from the city, Van continued his consulting career with Maryland based CDG Engineers, where he managed major road projects in Northwest Arkansas until 2010. He was a Past President of the Arkansas Society of Professional Engineers, was a long time Rotarian in Fort Smith and Springdale, and was a member the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering and the Arkansas Alumni Association. Van is survived by his wife of 53 years, Judy; daughters and sons-in-law Julianne and Bruce Bartlett of San Antonio, Texas and Jennifer and Phillip Bryant of Fort Smith; three grandchildren, Winn Bartlett of San Antonio, Madeline Bryant of Fort Smith and Morgan Bryant of Fort Smith. Van is also survived by his brother, Roger Lee and wife Pat of Fort Smith and his sister, Vicki Lee of Fayetteville; a sister-in-law Paula Morton and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Nora Lou Miller. Van lived a full life with many hobbies and interests. He was an accomplished guitarist and composed several of his own songs. He also enjoyed fly fishing, and was an avid Razorback football fan. He enjoyed travelling, spending time with Judy and their friends in Colorado, and most of all spending time with his extended family at Lake Ouachita. Visitation will be on Tuesday, December 15, from 5-7 p.m. at Edwards Funeral Home in Fort Smith. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 16th at Community Bible Church in Fort Smith, with burial immediately following at Fairview Cemetery in Van Buren, under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be Barry Morton, Philip Morton, Alex Wayne, Geoff Wayne, Bill Hanson and Bob Robinson and Dwayne Lee. Memorial contributions can be made to the Glory Girl Foundation, established in the memory of Van's great niece to provide support for families of children receiving treatment at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. For more information, visit www.glorygirlfoundation.com. Online condolences may be sent to www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.