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Obituary for Robert E. Lee Jr.
Robert Edward Lee, Jr. age 60, of Oakland, IL went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. Rob was born July 2, 1959 in Decatur, IL to Robert E. Lee Sr. and Melba Louise (Kelly) Lee. He married April Christine Faires on December 27, 1997 at Arcola Christian Church. Together, they raised three boys and enjoyed twenty-two wonderful years of marriage. Rob was a member of Oak Grove Separate Baptist Church, where he served as Sunday School superintendent and moderator. He was also active in the youth ministry, writing and performing skits and dramas, and led and organized annual mission trips. The drama ministry later led to the opening of the Main Street Children’s Theatre. Rob sang and played bass guitar with the Churchmen quartet from over twenty years and most recently sang with The King’s IV quartet for nearly twelve years. Rob was also an active member of his community. He coached T-Ball in Oakland for five years, and was an assistant coach of the Oakland Jr. High Girls’ basketball team for one season. He went on to coach basketball at Charleston Christian Academy for five years. He was his boys’ biggest fan and loved attending their games. He was a wise and loving coach to them in both life and basketball. Rob was passionate about preserving and promoting Oakland’s history. He helped to build and maintain the Independence Pioneer Village. He was former member of the Oakland Historical Foundation (now dissolved) and served as its president for one year, hosting the traveling Smithsonian exhibit “Between Fences.” He was also instrumental in bringing to light Abraham Lincoln’s connection to Oakland through organizing local performances of the Trial and Tribulations play, which was written by Dr. David Jorns. Most recently, Rob was in the process of repurposing the Wiggington Building into a coffee house. Above all else, Rob deeply loved Jesus and his family. His kind and generous spirit will be missed by all who knew him. Rob is survived by his parents; his wife; their three sons: Robert Benjamin Lee of Oakland, IL; Peter Isaac Lee of Oakland, IL; and James Kelly Lee of Oakland, IL; two sisters: Anita (Gary) Bohn of Lexington, TN; and Traci L. (Gene) Montgomery of Oakland, IL; three nieces, two nephews, three grandnieces, and three grandnephews. Visitation will be held Friday, February 14, 2020 at Oak Grove Separate Baptist Church from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held the following morning, Saturday, February 15 at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery. For those who wish, memorials may be made to the Lee family.
