When Ralph Darvin Lee of Carnegie, Oklahoma, was born on November 30, 1923, in Burlington, Iowa, his father, Cecil Lee, was 27 and his mother, Florence Cibby aka Kibby (Kinder) Lee, was 24. He had ten children with Lupe Appolline Ann "Polly" Marantos and one child with Mabel Loretta Davis. He had three brothers, S.T., Leon, and Jack Lee; four sisters, Mildred Lee, Hazel Lee, Darlene (Lee) Ford, and Doris Lee. Ralph passed away very peacefully at the Veterans Center in Clinton, Oklahoma, Ralph Darvin Lee on December 28, 2016. He leaves behind his beloved dog, Pepper; six sons, Ruben Lee, Robert Lee, Russell Lee, Randy Lee, Terry Posey, and R.D. Lee; five daughters, Linda (Lee) Brookshier, Carol (Lee) Russ, Nancy Lee, Mary (Lee) McCulley, and Pam (Posey) Flowers; and many grand and great- grandchildren. Ralph spent a lot of his childhood in Eakly, Oklahoma, going to school in different schools in the Eakly area, where his parents came to Oklahoma, in the land lottery of Oklahoma, in 1901. He was working the shipyards in Washougal, Washington, when he was drafted and served in the Marines during World War II. Ralph had many farm jobs and worked as a mechanic and a bus driver for the Arapaho Schools. He also worked at the Clinton Cotton Oil Mill and in his aunts nursing home in San Francisco, California. Just many jobs, very talented. Ralph also invented a milking machine for his own use, as well as a spring loaded fishing pole holder, before they were invented. He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Mildred, Hazel, S.T., and Leon; and his second wife, Loretta (Davis) Patterson. Graveside services will be in the Eakly Cemetery at Eakly, Oklahoma. Ralph will be buried next to his mother, Kibby (Kinder) Lee. (Written by his daughter Mary (Lee) McCulley of Cordell/Burns Flat/Dill City, Oklahoma.)
Rate this article: