John "Skip" Lee

John “Skip” Harrison Lee, 81, of Mio, Michigan went to be with his Lord on Sunday, April 10th, 2016 after a two year battle with melanoma. He was encircled by family, as he was ushered from this life into Eternity.
Skip was born in Fairview, Michigan on July 12th, 1934, delivered by his grandfather, Dr. Lee to Beatrice (Harrison) Lee and John Wilson Lee. He joined his sister Patricia (Lee) Money who gave him his nickname, Skippy. He enjoyed his childhood and school years participating in all sports Mio had to offer, giving his all and then continuing by watching his children and grandchildren play for Mio.
He graduated from Mio in 1953 and then Michigan Mining School (Michigan Tech) in 1957 with a degree in Civil Engineering. After passing his professional boards, he worked for the State Highway as a Project Engineer for I-75. After owning a concrete company, L & M Concrete, he later went on to work as Engineer/Manager of the Oscoda County Road Commission for over 25 years, retiring from there. Skip also was a “gentleman’s cattle farmer” in his spare time, raising Simmental Cattle.
In 1959, he married Jeanne Troyer of Fairview, Michigan. They settled in Mio raising two children, John and Joeli.
Skip was a member of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity, Michigan Professional Engineers, County Road Association, Michigan Cattleman Association, American Simmental Association, Northeast Michigan Sheep Breeders Association, and served on several boards through the years - Kingdom Builders, Oscoda County Fair Board, Habitat for Humanity, Mio AuSable School Board, and the Mio Church of God.
In retirement years, he resurrected a childhood love of beekeeping and created “Skip's Honey” which he marketed in the area. He loved hunting and fishing, and fishing, and fishing, with many trips to Canada.
He and his wife, Jeanne, enjoyed wintering in Florida with friends in their park in Ellenton, fishing on the Manitee River.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Jeanne; two children, John (Lauri) Lee, of Boyne City, and Joeli (David) Ballard, of Mio; five grandchildren, Christina (Kevin) Tappan of Mio, Peter Kolvoord of Mt. Pleasant, Maureen Lee of Boyne City, Candace (Tom) Rew of Harbor Springs, and Stephanie Lee of Boyne City; three great grandchildren, Cole, Noah and Jude Tappan of Mio; three nieces, Diane McGuire of Mio, Sherry Baker of Fairview and Lori Knepp of Mio.
Skip was preceded in death by his parents, John and Beatrice Lee, his sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and Garth Money, as well as his nephew Dean Money.
There will be a memorial service on Saturday, April 16th, at 2 pm. at TriPoint Church of God (Mio Church of God), 831 W. Miller Rd., Mio, MI, with visitation from 1-2 pm., with a light luncheon to follow service.