Lee Childress

Lee Roy Childress, Jr. passed peacefully to be with his loving wife, Shirley Virginia Childress (McCauley) on June 28, 2021, at the age of 90 in Mesa, Arizona. Lee was born in Silver City, New Mexico to Lee Roy Childress Sr. and Cora Mae Childress (Beach) in 1930. Lee was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Lucille Childress (Pennington). Lee is survived by his son Bob Childress (Carrie Miller) of Gold Canyon, Az, Lisa Poole (Matt Poole) of San Antonio, Texas, and Lori Kramme (Kolin Kramme) of Bonita, Arizona. Lee has extended family of seven grandchildren: Cara (Eddie Myers), Leann (David Fuller), Jenna Childress, Jennifer (A.J. Nunez), Samantha Poole, Zachary Poole (Megan), and Robert Kramme (Kristine). Also, six great grandchildren. Lee graduated high school in Silver City and worked with his father to become an accomplished second-generation water well driller. Lee used his expertise and knowledge of drilling water wells, which many are still in service today, from the Hyder Desert to farming communities all over Arizona. Lee enlisted in the Army as a Repeater Repairman in 1953 and was stationed at Fort Huachuca Army Base in Fort Huachuca, Arizona after doing his training in Fort Gordon, Georgia. He was granted an honorable discharge as corporal. Later in life, Lee embarked on a new career path AEPCO (Apache Generating Station) as a Water Tender and retired with 17 years of service. Lee spent his later years taking classes at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Arizona with passion and enthusiasm for learning, especially welding and culinary arts. One of Lee’s depictions about recipes is “Recipes are suggestions, not rules and need a little flavor. Some work, some do not! But accidents do happen!” Lee met Shirley when she was five and Lee was 10 at the McCauley ranch in Silver City, New Mexico. They married in Lordsburg, New Mexico in the month December of 1954. Upon honorary discharge as Corporal from the Army, Lee and Shirley made their home in Willcox from 1955 to 2007. They raised and nurtured three wonderful children in the Willcox area. Lee has been a current and past member of respected and renowned organizations such as The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Arizona, Sabbar Shriners International, and Willcox Elks Lodge. Lee located to Gold Canyon, Arizona in 2007 due to health reasons and continued to live life to the fullest. Graveside services will be on July 6, 2021, at 9:00 A. M. at Sunset Cemetery in Willcox, Arizona.

Lee Childress

August 26, 1930 - June 28, 2021