Lee Roy Mathis

Graveside services will be held at Hillcrest Memorial Park, 9101 Kern Canyon Rd., Friday, September 8th, at 10:00 a.m. for Lee Roy Mathis, age 77, of Bakersfield, who passed away September 1, 2006, at home. Chaplain Mike Lynch will officiate.

Lee was born July 9,1929, in Eakly, Oklahoma, to George W. and Mary Ann Mathis, the eighth of ten children. Lee and his family moved to the Bakersfield area in 1940, finally settling in the Rosedale area.

Lee attended the Rio Bravo Union and Greeley Elementary Schools and Bakersfield High School before proudly serving his country in the Army during the Korean Conflict. In 1951, while in the service, Lee met and married Martha Willis, of Bakersfield, his wife of 54 years.

Lee worked in a variety of positions before beginning his career with Ba-Valley Industrial Supply in 1961 where he worked for 30 years until retirement. Lee enjoyed fishing, hunting, campling and other outdoor activities. Lee also enjoyed working on all things mechanical, including fabricating hydraulic wood-splitters, conveyer systems and fire pits.

Lee is survived by his loving wife, Martha; son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Barbara Mathis of Bakersfield; daughter and son-in-law, Sandy and Don Aiuppa of Anchorage, AK; and son, Randy Mathis of Cypress, TX; seven grandchildren, Jason Lord, Matthew Lord, Katie Prestage, Preston Mathis, Travis Evans, Evangeline Mathis and Holly Mathis; and two great grandchildren, Olivia Lord and Jason Lee Lord; brother, G. W. Mathis; and sisters, Tiltha Newton and Ruth Masopust. Lee will be missed by family and friends.

The family would like to express our sincerest appreciation to the doctors and nurses at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, and a special thanks to Odyssey Hospice.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 7, 2006, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Odyssey Hospice.