Obituary of Wallace Lees, 78
Wallace Lees.
Wallace Lees
May 2, 2023
El Dorado Hills, California
– W. David Lees, 78, passed away peacefully with his wife at his side near their home in El Dorado Hills in Northern California. A former resident of San Luis Obispo, David was born in Brookings, So. Dakota, and grew up in Hinsdale, Illinois, the son of an Army Air Force pilot.
He enlisted in the Navy in 1964 and was assigned to a Destroyer, the USS Vesole, DD 878, which headed out of San Diego to Vietnam. David returned to Rhode Island in 1966 with two service medals and an Honorable Discharge. He used his G.I. Bill to earn a B.A. in economics and finance from Northeastern University, Chicago and he held finance positions in several large companies, including General Electric. In the Chicago area, he also pursued his passion for aviation, earning his private pilot’s license.
Later, he moved to the Central Coast and was the San Luis Obispo site Comptroller of United Cerebral Palsy, (UCP), a non-profit agency consisting of 28 different programs, including Ride-On Transportation. He held this position for 16 years until his retirement in 2019. It was in San Luis Obispo that David met the love of his life, Suzette, a SLO native. They married in a 100-year-old church in Creston that Suzette attended as a child.
David led a calm life, loved the outdoors, and had a keen sense of humor. He and Suzette relocated to El Dorado County to be near family. He was an outstanding chef and an avid reader with a phenomenal memory. He and Suzette joined the Sierra Renaissance Society to discover local Northern California history.
Mr. Lees is survived by his wife, Suzette Murray Lees, his daughter, Jonna, her husband Sean, and their four daughters in Illinois; his son, W. David and wife, Sarah, and their daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Grant, of Texas. He also leaves his two sisters, Barbara, of Charlotte, NC, and Janet and her husband, Drew, of WV. He was preceded in death by his parents of Charlotte, North Carolina.
As per his wish, Mr. Lees’ ashes were buried at a family celebration of life memorial service at the Paso Robles District Cemetery. A Navy Honor Guard Detail recognized David’s service, while family offered prayers and Scottish hymns on bagpipes and drums. Mrs. Lees delivered the eulogy for her fallen war hero and special soulmate.
Condolences may be offered in the Tribune online guestbook. Donations may be made to UCP, Yosemite Conservancy, or Alzheimer’s Association.
Published by San Luis Obispo County Tribune on Aug. 27, 2023.
From Legacy.com.
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