Daniel C. Lee, Jr. passed away on July 9, 2015 at the age of 78 after a long and brave battle fighting prolonged illness. He was the beloved husband of nearly 53 years of Marilyn (Kinney) Lee, and the son of the late Daniel C. Lee and the late Lois M. (Shaw) Lee.
Born in New Bedford, Dan lived in North Dartmouth for a short time before moving with his family to Portsmouth, New Hampshire for four years because his father was an electrician working on submarines during World War II. During that time, he learned to spot planes. This led him to become an airplane enthusiast and he became a model plane builder and flyer. At the age of 12 he became a national champion control flyer.
After World War II, Dan’s family moved to Florida where his father raised and raced greyhounds for five years. The family then returned to Dartmouth.
Dan graduated from Dartmouth High School, and over the past 60 years enjoyed reminiscing with friends at annual reunions. He received a B.S. in Pharmacy from Northeastern University (New England College of Pharmacy). During and after college, he played semi-pro baseball for the New York Yankees organization. He played two seasons for the Single A Mansfield Yankees. He was a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan, and was happily astounded when the Sox won not one but three World Series.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Dan served in United States Army Reserves.
Dan worked at St. Luke’s Hospital, Union Hospital which became Parkwood Hospital, consulted at Nantucket Cottage Hospital and Doctor’s Chronic Hospital. He worked at Union/Parkwood for 25 years as Director of Hospital Pharmacy, retiring from there. After retiring, Dan worked at Phoenix Pharmacy in Fairhaven and Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in New Bedford. He also taught Pharmacology at the Salter School in Fall River. He had papers published in Lippincott’s Hospital Magazine on preparing various inhalation (oxygen) supplies.
Dan believed that giving back to the greater New Bedford community, and in particular his adopted hometown of Mattapoisett, was important. His father-in-law, Mattapoisett Chief of Police Alden S. Kinney, was a mentor to him in this regard. For 47 years, Dan was elected to the Mattapoisett Board of Health. He was Chapter Chairman of the New Bedford Chapter of the American Red Cross, started the Visiting Nurses Program in Mattapoisett, was a charter member of Mattapoisett’s Rescue One, which is now Mattapoisett’s Rescue and EMT Service, was a Volunteer Firefighter, was a member of the Mattapoisett Lions Club, and the Florence Eastman Post #280. Dan was also a youth sports coach for Rochester Youth Hockey and Mattapoisett Little League Baseball, and proudly coached his son, Danny, in both organizations. He coached the Mattapoisett Babe Ruth Team in the 1980’s. That team became statewide champions, of which Dan was immensely proud.
Dan, like his father Charlie, was a Master Mason, and Past Master of Star in the East Lodge in New Bedford. Masonry was very important to Dan, and he received his Veteran’s Medal in 2011 for 50 years of service.
For all of his community and volunteer service, President Barack Obama authorized that a President’s Volunteer Service Award be presented to Dan. His daughter, Darcy, the local certifying agent for this award, presented it as a representative of the President of the United States in 2013.
Dan is survived by his wife, Marilyn (Kinney) Lee, his son Daniel C. Lee III and his wife Tracey (Robert) Lee, his daughter Darcy Hope Lee, his grandchildren Casey (Lee) Rogers and her husband Adam Rogers, Owen Kinney Lee, Madeleine Olivier Lee, his great granddaughter Alice Carole Rogers, his brother David Shaw Lee, nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.
The Lee family invites you to visiting hours, the funeral, burial and a celebration of life at the Inn at Shipyard Park. Visiting hours are 4 PM – 8 PM on Tuesday, July 14 at Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Mattapoisett. Funeral services are at 11 AM on Wednesday, July 15 at the Funeral Home, burial will be at Cushing Cemetery, Mattapoisett and the celebration of life will immediately follow. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.