December 17, 2024

Linn County News

Published December 18, 2024

Mark Bradley Lee, 61, of La Cygne, Kansas died Friday, December 13, 2024 surrounded by his loving family.

Mark was born February 8, 1963 in Paola, Kan., the son of Lewis N. Lee and JoAnn Gregory. He graduated from Prairie View High School with the Class of 1981. A sense of duty to God and country inspired Mark to join the United States Army on June 1, 1981, where he excelled in marksmanship and earned numerous awards including the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. Mark was deployed to the Gulf War where he participated in Desert Storm.  Mark retired with the rank of Sergeant First Class (E7).  During his enlistment he was always striving to be the best soldier possible. He considered his personal greatest achievement to be his induction into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club (S.A.M.C.). “This is a private U.S. Army organization for enlisted non-commissioned officers (NCO) only. Those NCO’s whose leadership achievements and performance merit special recognition may possibly earn the reward of membership. Members must... “...exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development and welfare of Soldiers and concern for families of Soldiers (FORSCOM Reg. 600-8, paragraph 1).”  In order to even be considered, a soldier must be recommended by his NCO chain-of-command and to be officially accepted into this exclusive club the soldier must pass a rigorous board examination process.

Mark spent many years working as a Data Technician. He retired from IBEW Local #124. Mark was a community-minded person, he spent many summers coaching baseball in La Cygne. Mark was an avid outdoorsman and loved to fish, especially for crappie. Mark never met a stranger and he always had a story to tell. And he enjoyed listening to stories as much as telling them so it was only natural that when he opened his bait shop in Pleasanton, he named it Fishing Tales. He especially took great pride in being a grandfather to Rowan who affectionately called his grandfather, “Papa Fish.” His children were unanimous that “family was everything to him.”  Mark had a few more loves, he loved his coffee and he loved playing poker with anyone who would have a seat at the table.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include two sons, Gavin (Marisa) Lee, and Clayton J. Lee; three daughters, Sidney Burchett, Kaysia Burchett, and Madison (Adam) Bazemore; two brothers, Rickey (Sandy) Lee, and Randy (Robyne) Lee; one sister, Debbie (J.R.) May; one grandson, Rowan Lee; five nephews and one niece, Jarrett May, Colton May, Dillon May, Laura Lee, Clayton G. Lee, and Nic Lee; numerous great-nieces, and great-nephews, and a host of extended family and friends.

Funeral Service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, at Schneider Funeral Home and Cremations, La Cygne Chapel.  Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until service time. Burial will follow the service in East Mount Zion Cemetery. The Fort Riley Funeral Honors Team will provide military honors. The family suggests memorial contributions to Ray of Hope, c/o Schneider Funeral Home, PO. Box 304, La Cygne, Kan. 66040. Online condolences may be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.