Lee Morine

1935 - 2015

Lee Morine Lee Morine, a long-time resident of Clearlake Oaks and descendent of early Lake County pioneer families, died of pancreatic cancer at his home on November 25, 2015. He was 80 years old. Born in Portola, California, to Mildred (Covell) and Daniel F. Morine, Sr. on September 21, 1935, he returned as an infant with his family to their native Clearlake Oaks where he attended grades one through six at East Lake Elementary School (held in what is today the East Lake Grange Hall). In 1947, the family moved to Potter Valley. Lee graduated from Potter Valley High School in 1954. He was a star of the PVHS six-man football team and also worked hard outside school to support his beloved first car, a 1936 Ford Coupe. From his family, especially his father and grandmother Mary Pluth Smaker, he inherited a strong work ethic, wonderful sense of humor, and a positive and optimistic nature. After a year working in the logging industry, Lee decided to attend California State University at Chico, and in 1962, became the first in his family to earn a college degree (B.A. in Industrial Arts and a K-Junior College lifetime teaching credential). His college years included a stint in the U.S. Army's Military Police unit at Ft. Ord followed by eight years of reserve duty, marriage in 1958 to Diane Naegeli, and planting approximately twenty acres of walnuts from nuts after clearing land himself on the family's Clearlake Oaks Ranch. Lee returned to Clearlake Oaks permanently in 1962, taking a teaching position at Terrace School in Lakeport where he taught spelling (not his strongest subject) and P.E. He was hired by Konocti Unified School District in 1966 and spent the remainder of his distinguished career in education with them, serving as an outstanding teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent to William Carle. He taught 5th grade, junior high and high school math, was the principal of Oak Hill School (at the time a 5th-6th grade school), principal of Lower Lake Junior high, assistant principal of Lower Lake High School and, for his final eight years with the district, Lower Lake High School principal. He truly enjoyed working with students and staff alike, and was skilled in the art of negotiation. He was president of the Konocti Education Association and headed the team negotiating the work contract, and later as an administrator, negotiated on behalf of the district. He was known as a calm voice of reasoned thinking and always gave his adversaries respect while seeking to find the middle ground that was acceptable to all parties. Throughout his career in education, Lee continued to farm walnuts and almonds both on his Clearlake Oaks property and other leased properties. He also, being blessed with mechanical aptitude and ability, bought, maintained, repaired, and sold countless cars, tractors, heavy equipment, and boats, even designing and building an almond harvesting pickup machine. He also owned and operated a walnut processing plant on Sulphur Bank Road at one time. After his retirement from KUSD in 1995, he continued to work as hard as ever on the ranch, but also traveled extensively with his wife Deborah McNeal Morine. Travels included throughout the United States, Vancouver Island, Canada, Italy, China, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, England, Scotland, and most recently (summer 2015), Quebec and Montreal, Canada. Also in 2012, he purchased his dream boat, a 26 foot Osprey, and was able to fish for three successful seasons on it out of Ft. Bragg. His retirement years were busy and full. He built a large shop by himself at the age of 69, and could often be found there working on equipment or welding. The walnut tress he planted in 1959 were stricken by disease, and Lee removed them by himself with a backhoe two years ago. He could repair anything that broke, a common occurance on a ranch. Lee is survived by his wife of thirty-three years, Debbie, of Clearlake Oaks, six children, daughters Nell (Jim) Bremner of Chico, CA, Polly Edgerton of Roseville, CA, Katy Morine of Magalia, CA and Lindsay (Alex) Van Dewark of Chico, CA, sons, Marcus Morine of Olde Naples, Fl, and Todd Morine of Clearlake Oaks, CA, grandsons Thomas Edgerton of Roseville, CA, and Jimmy Bremner of Chico, CA, ex-wife Diane Naegeli, of Chico, CA, brother Daniel F. Morine, Jr. (Donna) of Rathdrum, ID, sister Mary (Charlie) Hale of Ukiah, CA, numerous nieces and nephews, cousin Dennis Pluth, long-time friends Kris and Linda Tyner, Roland Shaul, Lee Simpson, Patsy Thornburn (Hank), Dan and Dana Obermeyer, and many other friends and work colleagues. A celebration of Lee's life will be held on June 25, 2016. The family wishes to thank Lake County Hospice for the excellent and compassionate care given to Lee during his illness. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lee's memory to Hospice of Lake County, 1862 Parallel Drive, Lakeport, CA 95453, or the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association at pwsausa.org Lee's smile, infectious laugh, kindness, energy and love will always be with us. and he will be terribly and forever missed. Love you always, my sweet husband. You've reached a stopping point, and now you can finally rest. Please share your memories by signing the guest book at www.legacy.com.