Chester Robert Lee

Chester Robert Lee, 90, of Athens, passed away on April 25, 2023. Born on September 5, 1932, he was the son of the late Walter Monroe Lee and Julia Estelle Huff Lee.

Chester was a charter member of Friendship Presbyterian Church in Oconee County, Georgia. He served in the United States Airforce, discharging as an Airman First Class. He later began working at General Times Corporation as a quality control supervisor, where he retired after 37 years of service. He enjoyed gardening and supplied, what seemed to be, half of Oconee County with his Better Boy Tomatoes and Silver Queen Corn. Chester was great at telling stories and although he may tell you the same story more than once, he always had a way of making the same old stories feel new.

He loved collecting coins and taking pictures of anything and everything in his yard like flowers, birds, and trees. Chester once nursed a young buzzard back to health, making them the best of friends. He would visit Chester daily for his daily meal, and they’d sit outside and watch the traffic go by together. Chester loved UGA football and was arguably their biggest fan, only missing one home game in 58 seasons in which he attended with his good friend, Ted Walker. He and Ted went on many missionary trips together building houses through Constructores Para Cristo. For many years, you could find Chester at the local McDonald’s on Friday mornings having coffee with his nephews and brothers. As he got older, this tradition became: Coffee at Uncle Chet’s. Chester met his beloved wife, Anne, during his childhood and always knew she would be the girl he would marry. They made this official on October 28, 1956, and had 66 beautiful years together.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by the love of his life, Anne Montgomery Lee; siblings, Faye Harriett Lee “Polly”, Starr Truman Lee, Harry Olin Lee, Lillie Aurelia Lee, Charles Walter Lee “Jr”; son-in-law, Jim Crumbly.

Survivors include his daughters, Lydia Lee; Julie Hill (Keith Riley); grandchildren, Rebecca Braddock (Brannon), Michael Arwood (Jennifer); three great grandchildren; two great great grandchildren; brother, and partner in crime, John Walter Lee “JW”.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, May 1, 2023, at 1:00 PM at Friendship Presbyterian Church. The interment will follow at 3:00 pm at Oconee Memorial Park. The family will receive friends the evening prior, on Sunday, from 5:00 pm to 7:00pm at Lord & Stephens West Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Friendship Presbyterian Church at http://gotofriendship.org/donate/.

Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, WEST, Watkinsville is entrusted with arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com.