Harley Dee, a resident of Mathews County since 2014, passed away at home in Hudgins on March 18, 2017 at the age of 102 years and 4 months.
Mr. Dee was predeceased by parents, John James and Lillian Berg Dee; sister, Bette Dee, and the many members of the Dee, Berg and Garland families who emigrated to Peru, Illinois, and LaSalle, Illinois, in the 1880s establishing the first generation of his family in the United States as coal miners, shopkeepers, and butchers.
Mr. Dee is lovingly remembered by his children, Penny Pastiva and her husband Stephen of Hudgins, John James Dee II and his wife Deborah of Port Orange, Florida, Edward Leman and his wife Jeni of Batavia, Illinois, and Daniel Phillips and his wife Cara of Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Dee thanked God and prayed every day for his beloved grandchildren, Donna Rizzo and her husband David of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Norman Prokup II and his wife Shannon of Berkeley, California, Kevin Lee Prokup and his wife Marina of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Shannon Turner of Tampa, Florida, Lisa Locklear and her husband Mike of Woodstock, Georgia, Nathaniel Leman and his wife Leah of Batavia, Illinois, Shea Mancone and her husband Conor of Gainesville, Florida, Matthew Leman of Portland, Oregon, Grant Phillips and his wife Keira of Jacksonville, Florida, Allison Crabtree and her husband Samuel of Louisville, Divya Leman of Batavia and Josiah Phillips of Louisville. As Poppa Dee, Mr. Dee thanked God and prayed every day for his great-grandchildren, Zackrey Turner, Kevin K. Prokup, Sasha Prokup, Scotty Turner, Laikyn Locklear, Ashley Turner, Kailyn Locklear, Jake Locklear, Dawn Rizzo, Deena Rizzo, Kyla Leman, Asher Phillips, Gideon Mancone, Ian Prokup, Elias Mancone, Kaden Leman, Emma Leman, Harleigh-Grace Phillips, Imogen Mancone, and those yet to be born.
Mr. Dee was born in Amboy, Illinois, on Nov. 15, 1914. He was a third generation American and the first of his family to go to college. After many years of struggle during the Depression, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Loyola University in 1942 while he was waiting for his induction into the Navy. Mr. Dee was most proud of his service as a Chief Quartermaster in the U.S. Navy from June 1942 to October 1945. Some of his WWII experience is posted online at the Library of Congress Veterans’ History Project.
Mr. Dee was a par and below amateur golfer until well into his 80s, and worked 30 years each at two successive careers. His first career was in national advertising for agencies that specialized in brand marketing and communications. His second career was as an employment counselor for the State of Florida where he specialized in mining jobs nationwide and placed more than 30,000 mid-level managers before retiring at the age of 90 years.
Mr. Dee was a lifelong Christian and a member of St. Francis de Sales Church in Mathews, since moving to the area with his daughter. He credited Psalm 34 as the secret to a happy life.
The visitation will be held at Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home, 160 Main Street, Mathews, on March 30 at 6 p.m. Prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be offered at 7 o’clock.
As Mr. Dee was a WWII veteran, military internment arrangements are being made but are not yet complete. A separate notice will be published when these are final.
Condolences for the family may be sent care of Penny Pastiva, P.O. Box 160, Hudgins, Va. 23076.