Lonnie Lee

Mr. Lonnie Franklin Lee passed away Wednesday, May 23, 2018, at home surrounded by his family and loved ones.

Franklin was born November 9, 1943 in Lumberton, NC to the late Ernest Paul Lee and Evelyn Mayes Lee.  He was also preceded in death by his sister Gladys Lee Brackett and his brother E.P. Lee.

After moving to Charlotte in 1962, he met his wife Ruth Hill Lee and they were married on April 17, 1962.  They went on to have two children.

Franklin was a route salesman for Sunbeam Bakery and Budweiser.  He ran his own lawn care business for a while before acquiring his next business, Portable Tool Service, in Charlotte.  Franklin and his wife Ruth ran Portable Tool Service with the same love and commitment as they did with their family.  His love of repairing tools was shown to his customers every day.  His customers honored, loved, and respected him for this.  He was highly regarded in the tool repair service industry nationwide.  Franklin loved fishing with his brothers and best friend Claude and he was also a NASCAR fan.

Franklin leaves behind his wife, Ruth, daughters, Karen Lee Crump (Gerald) and Michele Lee Ross; four grandchildren, Joshua Crump, Haley Crump, Sierra Ross and Jacob Ross, whom he dearly loved.  He also leaves behind his three brothers, Robert Earl Lee of Lumberton, NC, Jerry Wayne Lee (Fran) of Bladenboro, NC and Roger Dale Lee (Barbara) of Lumberton, NC.

This was a difficult battle, so we would like to thank those who helped encourage him to fight this disease, Dr. David Lee Graham, and nurse Laura at Levine Cancer Institute, his Hospice nurse, Melisha Smith, Hospice house social worker, Covey Jackson and all the other Hospice house caregivers and doctors.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 3:00 PM at Hartsell Funeral Home of Harrisburg, 12115 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28075.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region, PO Box 470408, Charlotte, NC  28226.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Harrisburg is serving the Lee family.