WILMINGTON — Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. James Madison Lee, 90, of Scotts Hill, passed away peacefully Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Lower Cape Fear Hospice after a bout with a number of short-term medical complications.
He is survived by his sons, William Fitzhugh Lee of Fayetteville, N.C., and Robert Ross Lee of Manassas, Va.; daughter, Jennifer Lee of Leland, N.C.; and four granddaughters, Elizabeth Hampton of Washington, D.C., Rebecca Murdock of Virginia Beach, Va., Madison Lee of North Carolina State University and Suzanna Jeanne Lee of Centreville, Va.; and Rufus, his faithful canine companion of 15 years.
He was preceded in death by Jeanne Purcell Lee, his loving wife of 48 years; and his son, James Madison Lee III.
General Lee was born Oct. 15, 1926, in Scotts Hill, N.C., to Fitzhugh and Eliza (Bessie) F. (Peace) Lee. He began his schooling at Topsail High school and continued his early education at Tileston School in Wilmington. He subsequently attended New Hanover High School, where he participated in Junior ROTC.
Upon graduation from NHHS in the Class of 1944, James began his 41-year career of uniformed service — as an enlisted soldier, as a cadet at West Point and as a commissioned officer of Infantry in the U.S. Army. On Feb. 13, 1954, he married Jeanne Purcell of Columbus, Ga., who was the model Army wife and mother until her death in 2002.
Upon his retirement in 1985, General Lee and Jeanne returned home to Scotts Hill, where Jim enjoyed golf with his friends, and gardening at his home along Futch Creek.
He also enjoyed memberships in a number of social organizations in the Wilmington area. In retirement, Jim Lee continued in service to others by devoting much time, talent and financial support to many service-oriented activities in the community. He was a vestry member and led an usher team at St. James Parish in Wilmington — his life-long home church. He served on the board of directors of the Davis Community in Porter’s Neck. He also served as an advisor and fundraiser with the Salvation Army of the Carolinas. He was an active member of Civitan.
Throughout his retired life, he also answered the call to participate in countless events and projects sponsored by the City of Wilmington, Camp LeJeune and many others.
His decades-long military career began when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1944. After his initial training, he was deployed to post-World-War-II Germany, where he served in the Army of Occupation. Having received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, General Lee returned to the States in 1946, attended Preparatory School at Amherst College, and attended the Academy, graduating with the Class of 1950 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering.
Throughout his career as an officer, General Lee served in many command and staff positions. His war-time service included: 18 months in the Korean War (1950 to 1952) as an infantry platoon leader and company commander in the 5th Regimental Combat Team; one year as a military advisor to a South Vietnamese Infantry Battalion (1963 to 1964); and one year as the commander of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade and Corps Operations Officer in Vietnam (1969 to 1970).
Upon returning from his last tour in Vietnam, General Lee was chosen among a number of officers to attend flight school in Fort Rucker, Alabama, and Fort Wolters, Texas, where he earned his wings as a U.S. Army aviator. As a general officer (1972 to 1985), he served as the deputy chief of Legislative Liaison for the Department of the Army, as the assistant division commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, as the chief of Legislative Liaison, as the chief of staff of NATO’s Allied Forces Southern Europe, and as the director of the Army Staff in the Pentagon.
He completed his distinguished career as the commanding general of U.S. Army Western Command (now U.S. Army, Pacific), which commands all Army Forces throughout the Pacific Theater.
Throughout his life, Jim Lee remained devoted to his country, his family, his church, his many friends and his community. He will be sorely missed by the countless people whose lives he touched.
The family received friends Friday, Sept. 15, at Andrews Mortuary, Wilmington. A funeral service was held Saturday, Sept. 16, at St. James Parish, Wilmington. Interment followed with a family graveside service, with full military honors, at Scotts Hill Wesleyan Chapel, Wilmington, (Scotts Hill). The family requests that any donations in his memory be made to the Salvation Army of Wilmington, 223 S. 3rd St., Wilmington, NC 28401.
Share online condolences with the family at andrewsmortuary.com.
