Lee Edwin De Bord

Born to Henry Edward and Virginia Marie Peters De Bord in Rupert Idaho. Lee was the baby brother to nine siblings. As a child he traveled and worked in the fields with his family as laborers, mostly in the fruit orchards of Idaho and Washington. After Lee's father died and his mother remarried, Lee was then raised by his older and still surviving sister, Claudia Van Epps. As a young man, Lee left home and joined the United States Navy, at the age of seventeen years old with no high school education. Lee served his naval enlistment during the Korean War. While fighting in the Korean War he was wounded and received a Purple Heart medal. He was given an honorable discharge from the Navy. After serving in the Navy he attended college and graduated with a BA in Criminal Justice from the California State University, Sacramento, Sac-State. Lee married Sharon Ann De Bord (Carpenter) the daughter of Robert and Harriet Carpenter, in Sacramento at the First Methodist Church on July 14, 1963. Lee passed away one week shy of his 53rd wedding anniversary. Lee and Sharon had one child, a son, John Michael De Bord, born February 28, 1965. Lee fell in love with his only child and son John. On February 24, 2005, Lee was blessed with his only grandchild, a granddaughter named Jenna Isabella Rose De Bord. Lee was very enamored and smitten by his granddaughter Jenna. He loved her very much and grew quite close to her over the past ten years. Lee would often refer to Jenna as "Beans" and Jenna would call him "Poppy". Lee was often Jenna's special chauffeur driving her to and from school, preschool, activities or whatever. Lee worked for thirty-seven years for the California Department of Corrections and was extremely proud of his accomplishments within the department. While working for the Department of Corrections he moved up through the ranks from initially being a prison guard to becoming a Correctional Counselor, to finally becoming an Inmate Appeals Investigator for the entire State of California when he retired. Lee's civic accomplishments and involvement included the Big Brothers organization, Foster Parents Association in Sacramento, Placer and Marin County. Lee and Sharon were a licensed Foster Family for seventeen years, housed and fostered many children during that period of time. Lee lived in Rupert Idaho, Tieton Washington, Yakima Washington, Sacramento California, and Marin California. Lee finally settled and retired to Rocklin, California where he was resident for forty-three years. Lee enjoyed working in various art mediums, building models, drawing and painting. He enjoyed playing tennis up until the age of eighyt-one. He used to ride bicycles and participate in track and field games where he threw the javelin and discus. He cycled and played tennis participating in the Peace Officer Olympic Games where is won several medals. Lee was very competitive as a child. He ran and participated in track and field which included hurtles, sprints and long-distance running. Lee had an appreciation for the arts and classical music. He also enjoyed the theatre. He often had season tickets to the Music Circus, Sacramento, The Broadway Series. Lee sang with The Choiralaires barber shop quartet. He used to enjoy sailing, fishing, rowing an old wooden rowboat at his cabin at Wrights Lake, California. He enjoyed hiking the high Sierras and the Desolation Wilderness. Lee had a special fondness for all things nautical, water, the ocean and boating. He also enjoyed snow skiing later in life during his mid-forties to fifties. Lee had a special love for animals. He would take care of wounded animals either nursing them back to health himself or taking them to the appropriate place for help. He liked to watch the wildlife around his house which included birds, hummingbirds, ducks, geese, squirrels, fox, deer, and other animals. Over the years he had many pets especially cats and dogs. He loved his dogs especially his Boxers. Towards the end of his life he had two dogs he was quite fond of, his dog Skipper a Golden Pomeranian and his dog Cookie a black and white Shih Tzu. Skipper passed away a few years ago, but his buddy and companion Cookie continues to mourn the loss of his master, Lee. Lee's favorite trips and vacations included summer vacations and weekend visits to the family cabin at Wrights Lake, near Kyburz California. He also enjoyed his annual visits to his beachfront condominium in Westport, Washington, where he would spend the summer. The family also enjoyed annual trips to various states and countries as well as Lee participating in the Police and Fire International Olympics. Lee was a very intelligent and kind man. From a rather poor and meager beginning, he educated himself, bettering himself, becoming quite successful. He was very giving, providing for his family, friends and for those who he cared for. Because he had so little as a child, he wanted to make sure that his family had everything that he was able to provide. He loved his family dearly and was very close to his granddaughter who he made sure had everything. His family in turn loves him and misses him. He will not be forgotten.