Obituaries

Graveside services for Lee Alexander will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 3pm at West Hill Cemetery. Pastor Leland Samuelson will officiate. Dannel Funeral Home has charge of arrangements. Lee B. Alexander, age 99 years, passed away on Wednesday, January 10, 2018, in Friona, Texas, just 18 days before reaching his 100th birthday. Lee grew up in Bonham, Texas, and was the youngest of 10 children. He had many memories of helping his father on the farm while attending school. After graduating from high school, Lee began a long career in the service. He served first in the Texas National Guard, then in the United States Army, and finally in the United States Air Force, including stints overseas in Germany during World War II. He retired from the military after serving twenty years/ 20 years in the Air Force. Upon retiring from the military, Lee served for 21 years as the Executive Director of Goodwill Industries for North Texas. Under Lee’s leadership, Goodwill expanded from one workshop and two retail outlets to operations that covered 15 Texas counties, included a modern plant and eight retail outlets serving Sherman and seven other area towns. Lee was honored by the Texas State Senate and by the cities that he served with proclamations designating January 28, 1983, as “Lee Alexander Day” in honor of his dedicated service and in recognition of his accomplishments with Goodwill. Lee married Thelma LaRue Gwyn on April 10, 1952. Together they raised four boys – Glenn, John, Craig, and Dudley. After a long, loving marriage, Thelma passed away in May of 2017. Lee was a faithful member of the Sherman Rotary Club, Key Memorial Methodist Church, and the American Legion. He was recognized with a certificate for 60 years of continuous membership in American Legion Post 29. Lee is survived by his four sons and their spouses, nine grandchildren (Misty, Reva Lee, Anna, Brandi, Hollis, Alex, J, Kendal and Harrison), five great-grandchildren (Austin, Emily, Hayden, Hailey and Reagan), and his special neighbor-daughter, Brenda Lampe. A graveside service was held at West Hill Cemetery on Saturday, January 13, 2018. You may sign the online guestbook at www.Dannelfuneralhome.com.