Lee Shearer

1931 - 2022

Lee Shearer
April 25, 1931 - July 26, 2022
Oakdale, California - Lee Shearer, self-proclaimed Emperor of Knights Ferry, moved on to his next adventure July 26.Lee was born April 25,1931 in Martinez, California to Vincent and Marion Shearer. Lee, his parents and younger sister Jean moved to Knights Ferry and Lee had his mother as his teacher at Knights Ferry School. He went to Oakdale High School and then to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo when it was a boys only school He was active in putting together their Rodeo. Lee graduated with a BS in Agricultural Science and post graduate studies in Education.
He returned to Oakdale and married Wanda Weeks and they moved to the Bay Area when he was in the Army where he was a Counterintelligence Agent. After the Army son Michael arrived and Lee worked as an undercover agent for the Southern Pacific Railroad. After Michael died the family moved back to Knights Ferry and Lee became a Stanislaus County Probation Officer.
Lee went back to school and got his Masters of Arts in CorrectionalCounseling at Chapman College. He got his Community College Teaching Credential in Psychology, public Service and Administration.
While in the Ferry, Lee helped start the Pumpkin Roll after a party that ended up with pumpkins being thrown around to the idea of rolling them down the street. He officiated as judge for 50 years. After his divorce he met Mary Sue Sutton at Frontier High School in Modesto where Mary Sue worked and he had a probationer there. They married in 1979 and moved into the home he was building on his folks property.
Lee became very active in the Knights Ferry community and Oakdale.He served on the Oakdale High School School Board and was on the Civil Grand Jury. Lee was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge #170. Lee served as President of the Knights Ferry Community Club, Oak Grove Cemetery Board and Knights Ferry History Museum. Because of his love of the town history he became "Emperor" and led many school children and adults on tours of the town, complete with period costume. Highlight of the tour was locking children and teachers in the old jail. Hewell Houser used Lee in an episode of California's Gold When Knights Ferry Celebrated their 150 years of being a town, Lee was instrumental in putting together the 2 day celebration.
For 39 years the Shearer Hill hosted family and friends to an Easter celebration with an egg hunt, food and drink. Lee enjoyed having everyone there.
Second only to Mary Sue, Lee loved his 356 Porsche. He also acquired a 1929 Model A coup and was a member in the Porsche and Model A clubs, touring in many parades.
He is predeceased by his son Michael and survived by his wife Mary Sue, sister Jean Hickey(Harvey), and children Patti Sandoval(Andy) Jeff Shearer (Leah) ,Cindy Davis (Neil) and Victoria Krippner (Scott). Grandchildren Joselyn Serrano (Tony), Wyatt and Sterling Shearer, Ridge Fisher, Alex Krippner (Jeramie), Claire Krippner, Gwyn Howard (Corey). Great-grandchildren Millie and Sophia Serrano and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family thanks Community Hospice for their care.
Services will be on September 10th at 11:00 a.m. at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Historic Knights Ferry, followed by a "Send Off Shindig" at the Community Club in downtown Knights Ferry.
Remembrances can be made to: Knights Ferry History and Museum Associates at P.O. Box 8611, Knights Ferry, CA. 95361