Lt. Col. Leon MacKinnon "Lee" Hope

HOPE KERNERSVILLE ~ Lt. Col Leon MacKinnon "Lee" Hope Nov. 21, 1927 ~ July 23, 2011 Lt. Col Leon MacKinnon "Lee" Hope, 83, died July 21, 2011 at his home. Funeral Services celebrating his life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 23, 2011 at St. Matthews Episcopal Church. He was born November 21, 1927 in Worcester, Massachusetts to the late Mary Smith and Leon Dennis Hope. He served his country with the US Army during WWII, Korea, and the Vietnam War and retired as a Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel. Lee was married to the late Joan Riley Hope who died May 26, 2008. After retirement from the US Army Lee taught at West Forsyth High School and served as the Tennis and Football Coach, and also as Athletic Director. He also had worked for a number of years at Kernersville News and Forsyth Technical Community College. Lee was extremely active in community projects such as the Korners Folly Foundation, member of Kernersville Kiwanis Club, Kernersville Little Theatre Board, Forsyth County ABC Board, and was particularly known as the Chairperson for the Annual Kernersville Christmas Parade. Survivors include his daughters Nancy Hope of Kernersville and Tracy Bugg and Glenn of South Hill, Virginia; sons Bruce Hope of Kernersville, Tim Hope and Cyndi of Fairfax, Virginia, Jeff Hope and Allison of Winterville, and Chris Hope and Susan of Stafford, Virginia; ten grandchildren Kathleen, Molly, Sean, Riley, Andrew, Colleen, Meghann, Bryce, Briana, and Scott. The family will visit with friends from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Friday evening at the Pierce-Jefferson Funeral Home. Friends and family, may sign, and view, the guestbook at www.Pierce-JeffersonFuneralService.com Memorial Contributions may be made to the Kernersville Little Theatre, 152 S. Main Street, Kernersville, NC, 27284, or any other organizations Lee was so fond of.