Willard Bryan Lee

Willard Bryan Lee, 96, passed away Sunday, June 11, 2017.
Visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Lucas Keller Funeral Home. Interment: Saturday in Waynoka, Okla.
Willard Bryan Lee was born in Kennard, Ind., on Oct. 14, 1920, to Harrison Edward Lee and Iva May Walker Lee. When Bryan was about two or three years old his parents moved to Waynoka, Okla., where the children grew up. Bryan graduated from Waynoka High School. He worked during after school hours in the bakery delivering bakery goods to stores and cafes.
Bryan went to Northwestern at Alva for a short time then transferred to radio school. He joined the Navy and was placed in radio school. After his schooling he was placed in the lighter-than-air division, trained in Lakehurst, N.J. He spent time in Florida but most of his four years in the Navy as radio-man on a blimp. Upon discharge from the Navy, Bryan returned to Northwestern. After graduation, Bryan married Patricia Gene Mathes on Aug. 29, 1948.
The couple spent the next year in Greely, Colo., where Bryan earned a Master’s degree in administration of schools. In 1950-51 both started their teaching careers in the Guymon Public Schools where he taught social studies in high school then junior high, until he became the elementary counselor. Bryan also worked with Community Adult Education.
Bryan was involved with the youth throughout his 37 years as teacher-counselor with Guymon Public Schools. He participated in the Kid’s Inc. Board of Directors, coached and officiated Kid’s Inc. basketball and worker with Special Olympics. He was named Texas County Teacher of the Year in 1975 and served as advisor for the Big Brother-Big Sister Explorer Post.
Bryan Lee served as a positive influence in his church, in his community. He was involved with Kiwanis, Oklahoma Education Association, Phi Delta Kappa, Red Red Rose, and Oklahoma Personnel and Guidance Assns.
In Bryan’s years of service in the First Christian Church he served – not all at one time – a deacon, elder, greeter, member of the church board, chairman of the board, and boy’s Sunday school teacher. In the Hurst Christian Church, he served as a greeter and committee member.
In 1983 he was named the Citizen of the Year and given the Dale Citizenship Award. In 2000 he was given lifetime honorary member of the Guymon City Library for his years of service to the library.
Bryan and Pat moved to the mid-cities area in 1999 and were active in Hurst Christian Church until his health failed.
Survivors include the wife of 68 years, Patricia Lee; son and his wife, Bryan E. and Katherine Lee; granddaughter and her husband, Ruth and Curtis Roddy; grandson, Daniel; brother and wife, James H. and Luella Lee; one brother-in-law and wife, Garrett and Leona Mathes; one sister-in-law, Margaret Davis; 18 nieces; 19 nephews; and a host of great and great-great-grandnieces and nephews.
Preceding Bryan in death are four sisters: Mildred as an infant, Geneva Stewart, Katherine Hutchison, and Virginia Bellows; one half-brother, Lee Stewart; four brothers-in-law, Glen Hutchison and Harold Bellows; Archie Davis and Willis Zuck; two nieces; and three nephews.