Clyde Lee, 89, of Mount Vernon died Friday, Jan. 22, 1999, at St. Mary's Hospital, Centralia.

He was born Feb. 6, 1909, in Jefferson County, the son of John Lee and Belle Earls Lee.

He married Bernice M. Rough in 1935 in Mount Vernon; she died in 1994.

Mr. Lee was a 1928 graduate of Mount Vernon Township High School. He worked as a bookkeeper for Mount Vernon Car Shops, Mount Vernon Furnace Company and many other Mount Vernon businesses.

He was active in local and national Democratic campaigns, beginning in 1932 when he was elected Treasurer of Young Peoples Democratic Club. From 1933-34, he served as City Treasurer of Jefferson County, 1934-38 as County Treasurer, 1938-40 as a State Representative of the 46th District, 1941-45 he was a State Senator of the 46th District, and from 1947 until retiring in 1966, he again served as State Representative of the 46th District, serving a total of 26 years in the state legislature and 32 years in public service.

During his career in the Illinois Legislature, he was chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, president of the Legislative Council, and served on the Committee on Higher Education.

In 1966, he became secretary-treasurer of the Egyptian Trotting Association. He was a resident of Homewood for 10 years, moving back to Mount Vernon in 1978. He was a U.S. Marine Corp veteran, serving in World War II, member of the Amvets Post 4 of Mount Vernon, Amvets Post 148 of Waltonville, longtime member of First Presbyterian Church, trustee of the West Salem Cemetery Association, member of the Prairie Historians, Jefferson County Historical Society, Illinois State Historical Society in Springfield, and was a Kentucky Colonel.

Survivors: a son, John E. (wife, Sarah) Lee of Mount Vernon; a daughter, Virginia R. Lee of Springfield; three grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Services: 1:30 p.m. Monday, Hughey Funeral Home, Mount Vernon. Burial: Oakwood Cemetery.

Source: The State Journal-Register {Springfield, IL}
Date: January 24, 1999
Submitted by Cindy Ford