John Tyler Lee Jr
May 13, 1939 ~ December 24, 2022
Master Chief John Tyler Lee Jr, USN (Ret.), 83, peacefully passed from this world on December 24, 2022, in Saint Augustine, Florida. He was born on May 13, 1939, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Nettie Mooney Lee and John Tyler Lee.
His friends and family lovingly called him Sonny. He was an avid pro bass fisherman who competed in many fishing tournaments and loved planting and tending to his many gardens during his lifetime. He also loved to cook and bake pies for the local restaurants.
After his retirement from the Navy, he began working at Northrop Grumman in Saint Augustine, Florida from which he retired in 1999.
Sonny was preceded in death by his parents John Tyler and Nettie Lee, his wife Dianna Devereaux Lee and Granddaughter Christina Mariah Lee. He is survived by his children John Lee (Crystal), Angela Dunn (Will), Mark Lee, Karen Mullen (Dan), and Tommy Lee (Yvette) Step daughters Pamela Fields (Ron), Penny Lamb (Don) and his many grandchildren and great grandchildren. He is also survived by his Brother Bennie Lee.
Thank you to Community Hospice Saint Augustine for making his final day on earth peaceful.
Fair Winds and Following Seas Master Chief
Until we see you again, Rest in eternal peace
A service will be held in his honor, please contact the family for details.
Please make a donation in his honor to www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate
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I love you Daddy and will miss you always. Rest in peace.
Sonny was such a large part of my youth. The best friend anyone could have. Such a gentle giant now resting in the arms of the angels. My sympathy to his family that he was so proud of and loved unconditionally.
Angie and family- we are so sad to hear of Sonny’s passing, you don’t know how many people I have spoken too since his passing and they all say the same thing. “Sonny was one of the good guys” You just don’t know how true that is. We pray for all of you!🙏
I met Master Chief "Sonny" Lee on July 8, 1981 aboard the USS Forrestal (CV 59) while deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. He was the Carrier Air Wing 17 Maintenance Chief Petty Officer responsible for the overall coordination of aircraft maintenance efforts across nine squadrons of different types of aircraft supported by over 1500 sailors. In this critical position he was largely responsible for the standard setting success of the ship-airwing-squadron TEAM. Not only did he become my personal reference for setting priorities and achieving operational success, he was sought out by everyone from the Admiral to the Airman on the mess deck. Sonny was the Navy's E.F. Hutton; when he spoke everyone listened. Of the many assignments I had during my Navy career, it is my time with Master Chief "Sonny" Lee that I reflect upon and riminess about most often. I treasure having been his friend. Rest easy Master Chief, we have the Watch.