Federal Judge Gene B. Lee, 83, of 1817 Deer Trail, Warsaw, died at 1:27 p.m. Oct. 25, 2007, at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne.
He was born Nov. 6, 1923, in Rensselaer, to Walter R. and Lillian M. Baxter Lee. On Aug. 24, 1946, he married Mary L. Knepper, who survives.
A longtime resident of Kosciusko County, he served as a federal judge. He served in general practice of law in Warsaw from 1946 to 1962, and as a partner in Rockhill, Vanderveer, Kennedy & Lee. He served as Warsaw city attorney in 1948, Kosciusko County prosecuting attorney from 1949 to 1952, Kosciusko Circuit Court judge from 1963 to 1979 and was appointed to the federal branch in 1979 as a U.S. magistrate.
He was a Boswell High School graduate and received a bachelor's degree in business from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1944, and a law degree from Indiana University School of Law in 1946.
He was chairman of the Kosciusko County Republican Central Committee from 1949 to 1952, secretary of the 2nd District Republican Committee from 1950 to 1954, served nine times as a delegate for the Republican State Convention and as an alternate delegate for the Republican National Convention in 1952.
He was a five-county Mental Health Clinic past officer and director, Baker's Boys Club officer and director, Kosciusko Community YMCA past director, Kosciusko Community Hospital past director. He also was involved in United Way of Kosciusko County, Grace College Community Council and was the charter president of the Warsaw Lions Club.
He was a member of Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Free & Accepted Masons, Warsaw Lodge 73, a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Fort Wayne and past consistory officer of the Scottish Rite. He received the 33rd Degree in the Scottish Rite in 1982; was a member of the Mizpah Shrine Temple, Fort Wayne; was a past Potentate Mizpah Shrine Temple member in 1980. He also was a member of the York Rite Degree in 1987, Red Cross of Constantine in 1987, Royal Order of Jesters, Warsaw Elks Lodge 802, Tippecanoe Lake Country Club past officer and director, American Legion Post 49, Beta Theta Pi past president and Phi Delta Phi. He received the Sagamore of the Wabash.
He served as a basic R.O.T.C. at Indiana University from 1941 to 1943, and was in active duty with the U.S. Army World War II infantry in 1943.
Also surviving are three daughters: Mrs. Fred (Susan) L. Grosick and Mrs. Ken (Debbie) Cusic, both of Valparaiso; Mrs. Richard (Kathy) Frid, Plymouth; a son, Baxter (and wife Joyce) Lee, Warsaw; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a grandson.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw, with Doug and Tom Lemon officiating. Burial will be private. A memorial service will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday by the Kosciusko County Bar Association in Room D 202 (spare courtroom) second floor, Kosciusko County Justice Building, 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw.
Calling is two hours prior to services Monday at the funeral chapel.
Memorials to Shriners Hospital for Children, 2211 N. Oak Park Ave., Chicago, Ill. 6070.
Condolences may be sent to mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com
