Robert "Bob" Lee

Robert Granville “Bob” Lee, age 87, of Rock Hill, formerly of Birmingham – Bloomfield, Michigan, passed away Monday, January 26, 2026, at Piedmont Medical Center. He was born on October 10, 1938, in Manchester, England to the late Alan and Helen Holland Lee.

At just 17½, Bob was drafted into the Royal Engineers in the British Army, where he discovered his calling as a diesel mechanic. He served in Malaysia and Cyprus and was honorably discharged after being injured during in battle. That skill would become his passport to the world.

As a young man, Bob lived a life that most people only read about. He traveled extensively, working as a diesel mechanic across the globe. The experience he cherished most, and spoke about until his final days, was a 27-month mission at Halley Bay Research Station in Antarctic. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, they believed they might be stranded there indefinitely. He loved telling stories about driving husky sled dogs, eating seal meat, and living at the edge of the world.

After Antarctica, Bob continued his global journey. He traveled through South America, lived in Switzerland as both a ski instructor and mechanic, worked at Club Med, spent time in the Persian Gulf, and eventually found himself in Liberia working for a logging company. While there, he adopted a pet raccoon named Peter, who could peel eggplants with his hands. This was said as if it were perfectly normal.

In 1968, Bob immigrated to the United States, settling in Detroit, Michigan, where he worked as a diesel mechanic for the Edward C. Levy Company. After moving to Greenville, Ohio, he met Doree Jean Greendyke. They fell in love quickly, married soon after, and built a life together that spanned 57 years. They settled in Birmingham, Michigan, and raised their two sons in Bloomfield Hills, living in the same home for 40 years. Bob founded his own company, Universal Engine Controls, and retired in 2016.

Soon after retiring, Bob and Doree moved to Rock Hill, South Carolina, to be closer to their youngest son and grandchildren. There, Bob embraced his favorite role of all: grandfather. Every Sunday afternoon meant chili dogs for Hudson, Cameron, and Holden, a tradition that became legendary in the family.

Bob was brilliant in his own unconventional way. Though not formally college educated, he was endlessly curious, deeply well-read, and could recall obscure historical dates with a story to match. He loved golf, opera, musicals, British murder mysteries, and movies without profanity. He was a fiercely proud naturalized American, keeping the Declaration of Independence on his wall and carrying a pocket-sized Constitution wherever he went.

He was stubborn, opinionated, and absolutely certain he was right most of the time. He never lost his strong Manchester accent. He taught his sons strong moral convictions, good judgment, and the importance of following your dreams, leaving your comfort zone, and seeking out new places and people.

Bob is survived by his beloved wife, Doree Jean Lee; his sons, Robert Edward Lee and his wife Laura Dickinson Lee and Geoffrey Granville Lee and his partner Christina Kellmann; and his adored grandchildren, Hudson, Cameron, and Holden Lee. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly, including Jean, Doug, Jonnie, Jan, Scott, Brian, Nikki, Gavin, Tracy, and Karl.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Allan and Helen Lee; and his brothers, Fred Lee and his wife Edith, and Peter Lee and his wife Dorothy (Dot).

A celebration of Bob’s life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at Carpenter-Porter Funeral Home, with Pastor Randy Briscoe officiating. The family will receive friends after the service, at the funeral home.

As Margaret Thatcher once said, “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” Bob fought many battles, crossed every ocean he could, and won the life he dreamed of.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – https://www.stjude.org/donate

When you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart. ~Frederick Buechner

Condolences may be made to www.carpenterporter.com