This post is for posterity. . .

The following are from the funeral. . . . hopefully the family doesn't mind me posting it here. . . . I just know it's the only way I'll get it in print for my children (and my children's children) to read when they're older.


Eulogy - given by Jan Lee

Arthur Edmond Lee was born October 17, 1920 in Hubbard, Graham County, AZ. He was the eldest son of Arthur Lee and Amy Valine Butler, the grandson of Robert Edmond Lee and Alpharetta Cluff, and the great grandson of John D. Lee and Sarah Caroline Williams. His great grandfather John D. Lee was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints after reading and finishing the Book of Mormon on the night he sat up with the dead corpse of his infant daughter.

Arthur has 2 brothers and 4 step brothers (1 has passed away, Steve) and 4 sisters (3 have passed away, Thora, Syble, and Laveda) and 3 half sisters).

As I say your name please stand and remain standing if you can. Spouses please stand when your spouse stands.

Arthur is survived by his eternal companion Betty, his 2 brothers(Zane and Jerry), 3 step brothers (Mike, Ed and Curt), 1 sister,( Selma), 3 half sisters(Holly, Lynnette and LaFaye, 13 children, 67 grandchildren, and 95 great grandchildren.

[at this point the entire chapel was standing]

1 grandchild and 1 great grandchild have passed away.

We are the family of Arthur Edmond Lee

We honor his name, his life, his faith, his obedience, and his love of family.

You may now be seated. Thank you.

When he was 6 or 7 years old, dad promised to never cuss or swear after his father said how much he admired a very close friend of his (Orin Cluff) because Orin Cluff didn’t cuss or swear. Something told dad that he should be like Orin Cluff. He kept that promise his whole life, never saying anything like unto it.

As a youth dad was a true cowboy, participating in rodeos. He was also active in sports playing football in High school, enjoyed hunting, and liked flirting with girls. He promised that he would never kiss a girl unless he was going to marry her. He kept that promise as well. Dad was also a very good student excelling in math and was valedictorian of his graduating class.

When dad was called to serve in the W. VA mission his dad counseled him to “not bring home any southern girls”.

No problem!

Then Arthur was transferred to Verdunville, W. VA as the Branch president. The first meeting was a genealogy class. In the class was a young sister named Betty Jane Merrell. When Betty saw Elder Lee she said to the other girls, “hands off girls he’s mine.”

The more Betty learned about Elder Lee the more impressed she felt about him. She was impressed that he was the Branch President at such a young age. He seemed more serious than some of the other Elders. He seemed to know a lot about the scriptures. Any question about a gospel topic he would say. Well, let’s see what the scriptures say about it.” Then he would quickly turn to the right chapter and verse.

Later in the day, after the genealogy class, at the home of the Merrell’s Elder Lee’s companion mentioned that Betty was going to marry a cowboy. Arthur thought, “I am a cowboy”. From then on Arthur looked at Betty through different eyes. That was April 29, 1941 and was the day their courtship began.

Even though Elder Lee was very careful to keep all the mission rules, there would be times when Elder Lee and Betty ‘gravitated’ together. Arthur even mentioned to Betty how he wanted to have 12 children. Apparently that didn’t scare her away.

After Arthur was released and on his way home he wrote a letter to Betty, but remembering the counsel of his dad to “not bring home any southern girls” he did not give any impressions of courting. That didn’t last too long though because not long after that he sent Betty a letter with his mission pin.

Six months later, while in the army he got a furlough and with money his brother Zane had sent to him to come home with, he went to see Betty instead. When he got off the bus near her home Arthur grabbed Betty and gave her a big kiss and has been kissing her ever since, at every opportunity.

The next day when Arthur and Betty were alone, he asked her to marry him. She quickly said yes. He was so surprised that he asked her again. She said yes once more. What a joyful day that was for Arthur.

They were married Oct 13, 1943 in the Arizona temple.

On October 5, 1944 their first child Jenny was born. In dad’s words. ”I was not able to be there but Betty did well without me”. Dad sent mom two white roses; a full blown rose for their 1st year of marriage and a white rosebud for their 1st baby.

After the war ended they lived in Blyth, CA then moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, then bought a 32 acre farm in Chilco, Idaho where dad was a logger, Sandra, Myron, Edmond, Sharon, Jan, and Mark were born.

In 1954 they bought an eighty acre farm in Moses Lake, WA. In Moses Lake there was nothing on the land and so with the help of others they built a small four-room house with no petitions between the rooms. There was no water so they had to haul water in large milk cans from their neighbors. The land had to be cleared of sagebrush and rocks. Arthur had always wanted to be a pioneer and this was his chance.

Rosanne, Nancy, Kerry, and Amy were born in Moses Lake.

After a few years in Moses Lake and not much luck farming, Dad went to school and work for Boeing as an electronic technician. That brought the family to Seattle, Washington in 1958 and into the Seattle 3rd ward

Robert and Roger, the twins, were born in Seattle to complete the family. Instead of 12 they got a “bakers dozen”.

Mom and dad always thought it was best to raise their family on a farm and planned to move back once dad finished schooling. They found out that it doesn’t matter where you raise your kids, but how you do it.

Many, many experiences transpired raising 13 kids, but time doesn’t allow me to go into much of that. I will just mention some but not go into very much detail.

Pine floats-dad got us kids all excited one FHE for desert until he brought in the glass of water with a toothpick floating on top.

Little Joe the wrangler-I can still hear his beautiful voice. I can still hear him play the harmonica as well.

“I think I’ll keep you Betty dear” he would often say after finishing his meals. I’m not sure but I think it was a compliment.

Dishes on thanksgiving. He would say “keep the dishes coming. As soon as they stop coming I ‘m done.” Dad only did dishes once a year because, as he said, he had 13 dishwashers

Knuckle rap on Sundays-When we were not reverent in Sacrament meetings dad was sure to reach over 2 or 3 other kids and with his knuckle rap us on the head. And it hurt.

Family home evening before it became a commandment every Monday night

2 handed over-the-head basketball shot

Coach Lee-he coached the YM basket ball team when they won the area championship.

Quarter back during Saturday morning football

Fathers and sons outings

Institute/ Hired by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland to be the custodian. When dads grandson Christian was serving in the Chile Santiago mission when Elder Holland was shaking all the missionaries hands as he shook Christians hand he asked, “are you Arthur and Betty’s grandson?” Christian said yes. Elder Holland said, “then you deserve another hug.”

Paper routes-I get sick in the stomach every time I think of that.

Changing diapers-he didn’t do it.

Hunting with the boys-He now knows who shot “the deer nobody shot”

Family reunions and family newsletters-great memories!!!

He was a busy man, working full time at Boeing, part time at the institute and delivering newspapers, but loved playing with his kids. If they did something cute or special he would call out to mom if she was in a different room...."Betty, come here. You're missing half your life."

Stake missionary-he and mom had many experiences while dad served as a stake missionary and seventy holding many cottage meetings in our home. Sandee said...” I was a full time missionary and he had 3 jobs, Boeing, Janitor at the Institute and a paper route…..and…for a 9 month period… he baptized more as a stake missionary than I did on my mission.”

He loved to garden, but I think he loved more “working in the Garden of the Lord”

He never talked bad about anyone and was non judgmental.

Iran-Dad served as a Branch President in Iran for a couple of years after Boeing sent him over for work.

Bishop of the Seattle 3rd ward

BP for the hearing impaired

Dominos-This was Dad and Mom’s favorite game.

Horseshoes-until dad was in his late 60’s I don’t think any of his kids could beat him. His horseshoe would not flip, it would remain flat and turn 360 degrees.

Bowling/Mormon mixers-Mom and Dad played in a bowling league consisting of members of the church on Monday nights.

Richest family in the world-Many a time I remember him say, “we are one of the riches families in the world.” It didn’t make sense to me until later in life.

Dad retired from Boeing after over 30 years. He received numerous awards at Boeing being nominated as employee of the month and employee of the year for some of his innovations and suggestions while employed. During the historic layoffs that Boeing had when many people above and below Dad were laid off, they never let Dad go because of the knowledge he had in aerodynamics. I believe he wrote the handbook that Boeing used in aerodynamics at the time he was employed with them.

After all the kids married and were on their own dad and mom were able to serve a mission together.

Mom and dad failed to fill out their mission papers completely. (on purpose) They left out the part “where would you like to serve”. They received a phone call from the church mission office. They told the mission office that they just wanted to go where they were needed and to let the Lord decide.

The first Sunday in the England Coventry mission they met Sister Anne Moore who had a dream of a “white haired man” in her life. Her husband John was in-active. Mom and dad became good friends with them and John would even go with dad to visit some of the other in- active families, but he would not come to church. Finally, just before mom and dad were transferred he came to church and the Moore’s were called to replace mom and dad as the fellowshipping couple. After dad set him apart, Sister Moore said “when I saw your husband with his hands on John’s head, I remembered that that is where I saw him in my dreams.” They then realized that they did go where the Lord wanted them to go.

Dad served 4 full time missions; 3 with mom. They had many, many experiences like this before after and during their missions. Like Alfonz.

9 of their children and 21 of their grandchildren served full time missions.

A big part of dad’s later years were spent serving in the temple with mom. Many times as I attended the temple the temple worker would ask, “are you related to Arthur and Betty Lee?”

Dad loved to keep the family records up to date on his computer, write in his journal, and do genealogy. As new grandchildren and great grandchildren would come along, and marriages, it became challenging. He would say to us, “they don’t exist until I enter them into my records”.

Because of his example and moms, all of their children and 44 of their grandchildren have been married for time and all eternity in the temple.

Dad, we honor your name, your life, your faith, your obedience, and your love of family.
Thank you for being a faithful and loving husband. Thank you for being our dad, our granddad, our great granddad, our brother, and our friend.

Dad, as your children, your children in law, your grandchildren, and spouses of your grandchildren and your great grandchildren and as you have done your whole life, we will be “working in the garden of the Lord”, until we meet in the after life. We love you.

Talk given by Kerry Lee

I apologize for reading my talk. One of the things that I inherited from Dad is that I’m a slow talker and I was asked to keep my remarks under 15 minutes so, bear with me since I do read faster than I talk.

I remember a story I heard in General Conference about a group of brethren trying to move a grand piano in a meetinghouse. No one had ever moved one before and as they tried to come up with a plan of action one of them who had been quiet finally said for everyone to get around the piano, stand close together and “lift where you stand”. A lot can be said about the simplicity of this statement and its profound meaning.

Years ago I had a dream that the world was coming to an end and the righteous were being caught up to heaven. It was very exciting and as we all gathered together as families we could see the earth below and the destruction that was beginning to take place. I found my wife and kids, brothers and sisters and finally Mom. I did not see Dad and asked her where he was. She answered in her ‘impatient with Arthur’ voice, “Oh, he’s still down there trying to save souls.” That was Dad. He always kept going on a task no matter that it was right up to the very end…and…more importantly, he never gave up on people.

Dad loved to work and do his duty and not make excuses. Even as his body became more and more affected by Parkinson’s disease he did all his body would allow him to do even if it made the rest of us nervous. One time we had all volunteered to take a turn out at his place to help him with chores around the house. Dad always had an extension ladder up against the house that he never took down so he could climb up on the roof to clean pine needles and leaves out of the gutters and fix his roof. Of course, whoever was over there helping would take it down for his safety and Dad would put it back up. So we eventually we started hiding it. Dad was a little annoyed at this and explained, “It’s harder for me to find where you hid it, dig it out, and put it up again than it is for me to climb up onto the roof.” Well, he did have a point.

Another time my boys and I asked him what we could do to help him. He said, “Well, my garden needs to be roto-tilled.” So he took us outside and gave us instructions on how to start the rototiller. It took a couple of hard pulls but it started right up. Of course, all he really wanted us to do was start it for him, for no sooner had it started when Dad grabbed the tiller and off he went down one of the rows, the tiller literally pulling him along.

And nearer the end of his life almost everything needed to be done for him. A few months ago my wife Carrie was over at Rose and John’s while they were on a trip and she thought that Dad might want to be outside in his wheelchair and watch while she weeded and planted some flowers in one of their raised beds. While she was out there it appeared that Dad was trying to scoot forward to get out and help. So she pushed his wheelchair up close to the raised flower beds. She couldn’t find a small hand shovel so she gave him a spoon and Dad was satisfied as he dug in the dirt and did as much as his body would allow.

And, we all know how hard it was for Dad when the decision was made that he could no longer work in the temple. Dad loved the temple and he loved doing family history. I suppose that if I asked Dad what he would want me to say today it would have something to do with doing temple work and building up the kingdom of God on the earth.

And if we are going to do that, then Dad would tell us we must first start with ourselves. Even though, through temples, we have been sealed to our families for time and all eternity, we are still judged individually. But, having all our family sealed to us and we to them can be a tremendous motivating factor and wonderful source of blessings as we move forward in life.

Let me share with you an experience that I had which might help to illustrate this. Many years ago I had taken up jogging and the first month was very difficult. I would jog around a cemetery near our home and at the time was trying to increase my distance to 5 miles a day. While I was running one Monday after work (yes, family home evening night!) I was aware of a car that was coming up behind me so I moved over to the side. It turned out to be my wife Carrie and she had all the kids in the car. As they drove beside me they were encouraging me on and Carrie would let one out at a time to run along beside me. When they got tired another one would get out and run. It was a lot of fun and everyone was laughing especially at the younger ones, each trying to outrun their dad during their turn. Sometimes I would have to slow down to “keep up with them!”

That experience is seared into my memory because I believe it shows perfectly how being sealed together as families helps us individually on our path to exaltation. Even though it is individually that we are saved, (my kids couldn’t run for me or me for them) being sealed together gets us going in the same direction and we can assist and encourage one another in this effort.
This assistance and encouragement extends beyond the veil.

A few years after Carrie’s father passed away I had a dream where he was standing next to someone and he had a look of joy on his face. I had never seen that look when he was alive, especially when he was around me. He was not a member of the Church and did not care for Mormons. And so, me, coming off my mission and baptizing his only daughter, and then marrying her, did not put me on his good side! So, I was curious as to why he looked so happy now. I focused in on the person standing beside him and I immediately recognized it as my grandfather who had passed away when I was 13. They both looked happy and it appeared as if they had been laughing together. It occurred to me later that maybe my grandfather had had a hand in my father-in-law’s conversion. I thought it would only be natural for him to do so, but, the main point is that this was a gentle reminder that his work needed to be done in the temple.
That prompted Carrie and I to get on the ball and do his temple work. When we arrived at the temple, Carrie felt very strongly that her father was waiting for us as we entered in and she could feel his presence the whole time we were there. Since then we have had countless experiences that showed we were being guided, that there were those beyond the veil who were interested in what we were doing and were assisting us in it. As we sought them out, things just seemed to fall into place. Over the next several years we were able to find hundreds of names on my wife’s side to take to the temple.

And, specifically, I remember one wonderful day in the temple about 10 years ago during a family reunion when many of us brought names to the temple and Dad baptized them as many of his grandchildren acted as proxies.

I heard it stated once years ago, about temple and family history, that, “it is a work done for the dead by those who were mostly dead”. And I imagine the main reason is that in the olden days it took a lot of time to research and compile family records and those with the most time seem to be those who are retired and whose children are grown. (And maybe the veil is thinner at that age, I don’t know.) But, with today’s technology, it’s not as time consuming as it used to be. With the new resources that are online and the New Family Search program it can actually be pretty easy. We just need to start.

A few weeks ago, Carrie and I were sitting at home on the couch watching a movie and I had my lap top open and was online getting some names ready to print out and take to the temple the next day for youth baptisms. We had about 70 names and for some reason I decided to go over to her father’s line which had been picked over pretty good. I looked at his father’s family and found an aunt of his, who we did not know who her spouse was, or if she had had children, because we did not know her married name. But, low and behold, there on the church website; New Family Search was a spouse listed for her. Apparently, their marriage records had been extracted from Minnesota but his work had not been performed yet nor were they sealed.
As many of you know, Dad had been very active in extraction work and it was cool to now be a beneficiary of it. But better yet, now, knowing her husband’s name, we quickly went onto ancestry.com and looked up several census records for that time period in Minnesota and found them and their 10 children. It also opened up a whole new line on her husband’s side. So, within a short period of time (and while still watching the movie!) we had 15 more names to do baptisms for the next day.

Last week we found 25 more names on that same line and it seemed almost too easy. Dad would have loved this technology. He would want each of us actively engaged in it.

He would also want to encourage all of his offspring including grandkids and great-grandkids to be worthy to enter into the temple and to do so often and accomplish this great work. We have been promised that faithful temple attendance will bless and protect our own families.
President Howard W. Hunter stated:

“…It is pleasing to the Lord for our youth to worthily go to the temple and perform … baptisms for those who did not have the opportunity to be baptized in life.

“It is pleasing to the Lord when we worthily go to the temple to personally make our own covenants with Him and to be sealed as couples and as families.

“And it is pleasing to the Lord when we worthily go to the temple to perform these same saving ordinances for those who have died, many of whom eagerly await the completion of these ordinances in their behalf.”

I kidded Mom a little bit the other day asking her that now that she is eligible if she was going to start attending the Single Adult Ward. She laughed and said no and then she got serious and added with a little bit of emotion, “I have been sealed to Arthur for time and all eternity.” Is there any greater blessing than that?

To those who have done things that have separated themselves from the path in which they were raised, Dad would lovingly encourage to come back. In his final patriarchal blessing to his family he said, speaking to his grandchildren:

“I bless you that your testimonies of the restored gospel will increase through your faithfulness, and that you will find joy in your family relationships and in your efforts to live the gospel and serve others. Where your testimonies are weak or you have serious doubts about gospel teachings I bless you that if you will honestly and diligently seek, you will find that your doubts may be erased and your testimonies made strong.”

Do not take lightly this blessing. He would want you to know that you are not as far from the path than you think you are. You may reason that the way back is too far or too difficult or even impossible, but, he would tell you to just trust in the Lord who can and will and does heal us and has a perfect understanding of our situation and loves us and will gently help us to return. Amongst Dads posterity there have already been examples of this. Those who have strayed in one way or another and returned.

No one is perfect and we will all be tried and tested to the end of our earthly existence. But the Lord will be there beside us at every step if we will only look to Him and allow Him into our lives. He will lead us unto Him and His Plan of Happiness and we will know that it is He that led us there and it will be our desire to live and keep the laws and ordinances of the Gospel and the desire to bring others to Him will fill our hearts.

Let me illustrate this in an experience that Dad and Mom had on their missions, that Jan mentioned during the eulogy, of John and Anne Moore. In my parent’s first area to the England Coventry mission, they were meeting with the ward council to discuss the names of inactives and John Moore’s name came up and my dad heard someone say, “We will never see him in church”. This caused my dad’s ears to perk up and it is not surprising, to anyone who knows Dad, that this was the first family Mom and Dad visited. They became friends and Anne eventually started to come to church. John slowly began to participate in the visits and later agreed to become Dad’s home teaching companion and visit other inactives, but he would not come to church himself. Dad never pressured him.

After 9 months in the area, word came that they were being transferred and there would not be a missionary couple to replace them. Dad suggested to the Bishop that he call John to take his place as the Reactivation Specialist in the ward. The Bishop was a little skeptical and wondered how that would work out since John was not actually coming to church. But he also felt prompted and went over to his house and made the call, which John accepted. Then, as he was going out the door, the bishop called back, “See you in church, Sunday!”

He had no idea if he would actually come but that Sunday instead of dropping his wife off at the door he got out of his car and came in. He was sustained and when it came time to set him apart the bishop put his hands on his head but didn’t say anything. Then he turned to Dad and asked him if he would set him apart which my father did. Afterward’s, Sister Moore, in tears, told them that in her dream previous to Mom and Dad arriving, where she told her husband that a white-haired man was going to come into their lives, that the dream was very simple; she had seen her husband in the Bishops office being set apart by a white haired gentleman.

John was very faithful in his calling after my parents left and helped to reactivate many. He sent my father a letter every month reporting his progress.

Can anyone of us here deny that there were those on the other side of the veil looking after John and Anne and directing my parents to them?

One morning a few years ago, when Dad was still living at Bonnie Lake, he was lying in bed when he heard a voice say, “Kerry needs help!” Astonished, Dad called Myron who called to check in on me. Dad’s first impression was that maybe I had been in an accident or something. When Myron heard I was OK he told me to call Dad and tell him I was ok which I did. But, in reality, I knew that I was not OK. I knew that there was something in my past that I did not have the courage to take care of which was holding me back, and the thought of making this thing known, filled my soul with terror. And, even though I did not at that time tell anyone, I knew that help was on the way. Dad, Myron and my wife, also sensing this, did not let it rest. And, Myron, who was acting under Dad’s direction and authority (because of Dad’s health), did again approach me and through his love and the love of my wife and my family, I was able to find the courage take the steps to put this behind me. It would not be appropriate to share anymore but just let me say; it was one of the most life-changing and spiritual experiences of my life.

I know that through the patriarchal order there are those on the other side, that watch over us, and Dad has now joined that throng. Because of the temple, they are family. We are family and there is no greater work than to help one another to find Christ and let Him heal us. It is a work of love and not of coercion, or force or that of criticism.

I know that there are those in our path right now, in our families, and in the church, who need our unconditional love to help them to come back onto the path where they once were, or to keep them from leaving it.

There are others who are not members of this church who are seeking this path and are being led by the Spirit and those on the other side of the veil to us.

And, there are those on the other side that are eager for us to do their work.

I don’t believe we always need to be called or invited to do these things nor should we council the Lord on how we can best be used in His Kingdom. If we feel prompted to act, then we should act, no matter how impossible or improbable it may seem. When we do, we will have the opportunity to see God’s hand at work amongst His children.

There has been a lot said about the number of Dad and Mom’s family and posterity. But, I remember Dad saying many times that the size of your family doesn’t matter as much as your faithfulness. He cited Abraham and Jacob as examples. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, had 12 sons (who became the 12 tribes of Israel), but his grandparents, Abraham and Sarah, had just one son, who was not born unto them until late in their life, and interestingly, Abraham’s own father was very wicked. But because of their faithfulness and obedience they received the promises that through their seed, all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
Thus it can be with us. It is my prayer, that we stand close together as families and friends and as a Church, and lift where we stand. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen


Talk given by Roseanne Lee Dietz

A Journey With Father

There was a boy who used to climb
The Red Knoll Cliffs in just hop
Who shouted hello’s high on top
Radiant face unaware of time.

One day he left his peaceful home
With chores half done and plow in place
And entered in a manhood race
The cliffs no longer his to roam.

But when in doubt his thoughts were cast
In vision of his Red Knoll days
Of magic felt from sunshine rays
Finding his strength deep from his past.

He brought me back with him one day
To his beloved Red Knoll cliffs
Familiar place; erased my myths
Seeing him climb this boy now gray.

By Rosanne Lee Dietz

When my husband John and I were living in Arizona, my Dad and Mom came to visit us. One of the things we did while they were with us was to visit the Safford and Thatcher areas of Arizona where my Dad had grown up. While I watched him climb the Red Knoll Cliffs I caught a glimpse of the boy my father had once been. I had given the poem the title of “A Journey With Father” not knowing then, that one day my father’s mortal journey on earth would come to a close in my home.

I would like to relate some of the things that happened during my father’s mortal journey, most of the stories are better told by some of my siblings. In fact this morning I told Mom that I was speaking and she asked why Myron wasn’t speaking. And in the viewing room I over heard someone asked why he wasn’t speaking. But Dad is the one that picked the speakers as well as the music and so if you have any complaints you will have to take it up with him in the hereafter

When Dad was in the fourth grade some of his friends talked him into skipping out on school and going swimming. Of course they all got caught and were marched into the principal’s office one by one for a spanking from the big wooden paddle with holes in it. My Dad who was the youngest and most innocent looking of the group was the last to go in. The principle just told him not to do it again. Surprised he walked out of that room with a triumphant look and taunted the other boys, boasting how he did not get spanked. The principle overheard him, marched out there and dragged him back in and proceeded to spank him. He learned at an early age that you shouldn’t boast or tell everything you know when you catch a break in life.

In high school, as has been stated earlier, Dad was the quarterback for his high school football team. During his senior year prior to the season I am sure he had dreams of taking the championship. Later, after a couple of games that dream was probably downsized to just having a winning season and finally as they prepared to play their last game and hadn’t score a single point all season long what he really wanted to do was just to score a touchdown. He prepared the team…he devised a plan called the “sleeper” play of which they would have one of their players look like he was standing on the sidelines when in reality he was still legally on the field. It was executed perfectly. Dad got the ball, stepped back to throw the pass of his lifetime to his receiver, who stood all by himself and threw a perfect pass that sailed through the air right to his receiver and then, right through his receiver’s hands dashing away any dignity he and his team hoped to have walking off the field. In the mortal journey of life there will be times that although we have done everything in our power things will just not turn out how we want them to be.

One Saturday evening, while living in Moses Lake, Washington , my mom had gotten up in the middle of the night to take all of the little ones to the bathroom and she couldn’t find Eddie. Both Dad and Mom searched all over the farm area and when they still couldn’t find Eddie they woke up all of the other children, explained the situation and then said a prayer to Heavenly Father to help us find Eddie. Sandra records in a family history book, the feeling she had when Dad prayed and she saw Mom become emotional. And although they were the parents of 13 children she knew that they deeply cared about each one of them. The Sherriff and other local help was called, The Bishopric and ward members were called. The irrigation ditches were dragged and even a crop duster was used flying the entire area. Still there was no sign of Eddie,

It was early Sunday morning and about time for Church, when Mom and Dad called their family together and told them that some of the men would continue to search while the rest got ready for Church. They were committed to the gospel and decided to go to Church even in the midst of a crisis feeling the importance of being obedient if they wanted the Lord’s help. Sandra was instructed to go into the house and help get the little kids ready for Church. She went into the boy’s bedroom and discovered Eddie sleeping peacefully, stark naked between two thin mattresses.

Eddie’s first instinct was to run for cover when Sandra tried to grab him and give him a big hug and he didn’t know what to think when she started crying and shouted “I found him! I found him!”Of course everyone in the search party wanted to come in the house and see for themselves. A little naked Eddie didn’t know what to think when Brother Crawford of the Bishopric, who was a big man with a loud voice booms out “Well son, you certainly gave us a good scare!” Eddie doesn’t remember how he finally got some clothes on, or how the scene in the room finally came to an end, or driving to church but he does remember being the only wide-awake person at Church that day.

Although this little story did not make the national news like the balloon boy saga did, it did make the front page of the local newspaper and Mom is still mad at that reporter. And although a mysterious fire later destroyed that portion of the newspaper in its archives I don’t want to accuse my mother of anything.

What I admire about all of this is that Dad and Mom turned to prayer to find their son, and that that they were able laugh at all that life sometimes threw at them.

My parents always placed their trust in the Lord. When it became hard for my Dad to make a living on the farm in Moses Lake due to a bad back and other conditions of the farming industry at that period of time it was kind of like the experience he had as a quarterback for his high school team. Sometimes no matter what you do things just aren’t going to work out the way you hope they will. This was one of those times. But my mother who was concerned about my Dad’s health and knowing he was talented in math prayed to the Heavenly Father that He would help her husband find a way to provide for his family using the talents he had. It had been a dream of my father’s to raise his family on the farm where they could participate in hard work. When he went to work for Boeing, he later stated that my mom had prayed him right out of the farming business.

When he was asked to do anything in the Church Dad did it and usually volunteered even when he wasn’t asked. One time he gathered us together and told us how important it was to accept assignments from our Church leaders. He told us that our family had been asked to sing in Church. Some of the boys started to groan about it but there was no question that we would all do what we had been asked to. We met with the choir director in the ward and she did her best with us to lead us in singing “I Stand All Amazed” (our closing song today) but after listening to us sing she decided that it would just be easier if the boys only joined in singing the chorus. (If any of you happen to be sitting behind them when we sing it today you will understand why). She then determined she needed to give the song a little bit of variety so she asked my Dad if he would mind singing a solo on the second verse. My Dad started to protest but with 13 pairs of eyes staring at him, he remembered what he had taught them about accepting assignments from our Church leaders. So, he said “I would be glad to”. Now neither Dad or our family was ever asked to sing again in Church but I learned from my father’s example to accept callings and assignments even if we do not feel well qualified and to support our Church leaders.

In the proclamation it tells us that happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved
when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. That successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities. These are things practiced by my parents long before the proclamation came out.

One of the things that are noted most by all of their posterity is the great love that existed between my father and my mother. My mom was just telling me this last week of a time that Dad had asked her to watch over the sprinklers on their farm in case they got plugged up with a fish and to turn them when necessary. As she was doing this something went wrong and the sprinklers crumpled up while she was trying to turn them. With money tight she didn’t know how she was going to tell my father. But when she did he simply gave her a hug and apologized for asking her to do it in the first place. The love that existed between them was great because of the choices they made to treat each other with respect and to forgive when necessary. And because they tried to live the gospel the best they could and to honor their temple covenants.

I am confident that in chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham of the Pearl of Great Price when the Lord showed Abraham many of the noble and great ones that my father was also among them.
The Lord also teaches Abraham one of the purposes of our mortal journey on this earth stated in verse 25: “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.” My father was a great example of always striving to “Choose the Right” proving himself to our Heavenly Father that he was willing to do whatsoever thing he was commanded.

At our last reunion like some of the Patriarchs of old, my Dad decided to leave his large family a final priesthood blessing and a message as their patriarch. Some of the things he promised were the following: To his children and their spouses he blessed us with the strength to keep our temple covenants to be able to receive and recognize the promptings and guidance as we struggle with personal and private difficulties. He blessed us with wisdom and an increased capacity to love and nurture as would the Savior.

To his grandchildren he blessed them to be able to provide for their young families and that their testimonies of the restored gospel would increase through their faithfulness. They would find joy in their family relationships and in their efforts to live the gospel and serve others. Where testimonies might be weak or where there were serious doubts about the gospel teachings he blessed them that if they would honestly and diligently seek, their doubts would be erased and their testimonies made strong.

To his great grand children he encouraged them to honor and obey their parents and to learn all that they could from them about the truths of the gospel. He blessed them to grow strong, both physically and spiritually that they could fulfill their purposes here on the earth.

One of things Dad liked to do in the Tumwater Ward was to bear his testimony. Today I would like you to hear his last testimony. He had a sure testimony that God lives and knows each of us individually and that He hears and answers our prayers in his own way, according to what is best for us. He testified of the Savior and that he knew with a certainty that God the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith and through him restored the gospel of Jesus Christ and that the Church of Jesus of Latter-Day-Saints is and will always be led by a true prophet of God.

I leave you with his last testimony and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen


Talk given by Betty Jane Lee

I know that I am one of the most blessed women in the world to have Arthur as a husband and the father of our children.

The first time I saw him was when he came to our little branch in West Virginia as a missionary. He stood up and introduced himself. H smiled and his eyes twinkled and he said, “I am a cowboy from Arizona.”

I said to my sisters, “Hands off girls, he’s mine.” I didn’t know I was prophesying. He seemed to be more adult than the other missionaries, even though he was only 20 years old.

They left him there the rest of his mission for 13 months and made him our Branch President even though he was a missionary.

I didn’t know if he felt anything towards me, but when he left to go home, he wrote me a letter, while he was on the train and got off the train in Texas and mailed it to me and then I knew that he did. It was during World War II, so he decided to go into the Paratroops where he had to jump out of air planes. But he never did have to – thank goodness.

I can honestly say that he was one of the best husbands and fathers in the world. His only desire was to raise a good family and to send all of our boys on a mission and any of our girls who wanted to go, and then when he retired, we would go on a mission. Well, we did that very thing.

We had 13 children – 7 boys and 6 girls. We planned on 12 but our 12th one was twins. All 7 boys and 2 girls went on missions and then we went on 2 missions and served in 5 countries – England, Wales, Singapore, Malaysia and India.

I am thankful to know that it be too long until we will be together again in the Spirit World and hopefully in the Celestial Kingdom. Then we can have spiritual children and send them down to an earth. We can also be missionaries there and teach those who died without hearing the gospel.

I want to thank all of you for being here with me during this sad time and again thank my Heavenly Father for giving him to me as a husband for eternity, and I do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Email from Stake President Jim Nelson (sent after the funeral)

What a great service yesterday. I thought about it over and over all night long. I found myself wishing that I could just be with all of the Lee family and ask them a million questions. I don't believe that I have ever been in a Church meeting that I enjoyed more than your Dad's funeral. The music was great. The talks were so thoughtful, well prepared and delivered with such a powerful Spirit. I either laughed or cried (mostly cried) thru the whole service.
What a great tribute that chapel full of posterity is to your mom and dad. I couldn't believe your mother---getting up there and giving that talk like she did. All of the talks were just great.
I kept trying to think all night of how I would describe your father. He was a very ordinary man in unimportant things, and an extremely extraordinary man in important things. I'm satisfied with that description. I love all of the Lees and our family has been blessed in so many ways by all of you. God bless all of you.

Jim

Some of your dad's stories will always be with me.

Obedience---Sabbath day observance in the panhandle of Idaho

Some of the trials in Moses Lake

OK for boys to miss a week of school to go hunting as they would learn more in that time camping together with their father than they would at school

And the one that his physician coworkers struggled with just a bit------- a wound will heal faster if you just put a little salt on it instead of all those other things