John Lee

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – John Lee, 92, of Alexandria, Va., passed away peacefully on March 30, 2022, in Virginia Beach, Va., with his daughter, Wendy, by his side.

John, an only child, was born on May 27, 1929 in Shanghai, China to the late John B.Y. and Katherine (Han) Lee. With his family, John lived in Beijing under Japanese occupation (1934-1945) until Japan’s surrender to Allied Forces in 1945.

While in high school, John, fluent in English, had a chance opportunity to interpret for a visiting U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, Peter Mills, Jr. (late father of the current governor of Maine) marking a pivotal moment for John’s eventual path to U.S. citizenship. “Pete” was instrumental in John’s decision to escape the Chinese Communists in 1949.

John made his way to Maine, where he attended Pete’s alma mater, Colby College in Waterville. “Johnny” and Pete became steadfast lifelong friends, and John considered Pete to be a father-figure. In 1953, John graduated from Colby with a B.A. in American History, and then enlisted in the U.S. Army soon thereafter. On June 15, 1954, John became a U.S. citizen. He was a fervent American patriot who proudly celebrated the anniversary of his citizenship every year until his death. John served in the U.S. Army for over 30 years, retiring as a Colonel in 1989. He subsequently taught American History at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. and at Southeastern University, in Washington, D.C.

John’s beloved wife, Cheryl D. Reed – the daughter of former Maine governor, the late John H. Reed, predeceased him on April 26, 2020.

John is survived by his three children, sons William and his wife Jenny of Selkirk, N.Y., John and his wife Sandy of Burlington, Conn., and daughter, Wendy, and her husband, Charley of Virginia Beach, Va.. He also leaves eight grandchildren, Christopher Lee, Daniel Lee, Rebecca Lee; Tanner Lee, Juliana Lee, Jocelyn Lee; Justin Hart and Jordan Hart and her husband Sean Bredbenner.

An interment ceremony for both John and Cheryl will take place on June 3 at 2 p.m. at the Reed family lot at Riverside Cemetery, Fort Fairfield. John will be recognized with military honors. He will be dearly missed.

A service of Giberson-Dorsey Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 144 Main St., Fort Fairfield. Online condolences may be expressed at http://www.gibersondorseyfuneralhome.com.