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Warren Francis Lee, PhD, Oct. 23, 1924 to Nov. 9, 2006. At the age of 82, historian, Warren F. Lee passed away. He was born in 1924 and reared in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, where he resided on the "Hill" overlooking the Bel-Del depot at Union Square. He graduated from Phillipsburg High School in 1943, earned a BA in History and International Affairs at Lafayette College in 1951, earned a MA in International Relations at Lehigh University in 1952, and earned a PhD in History at the University of New Mexico in 1974. Warren was a walking history book - a collection of experiences and backgrounds which cut across a variety if social environments and interdisciplinary lines. His life experiences were rooted from his long-time involvement and passion with history, with a focus on Victorian Russia, England, and transportation. He developed a commitment to search for and preserve some of the lesser known, but pertinent segments of history. As a young adult, from 1940 to 1952, he took much pride as a yard, interchange and per diem clerk for the Central Railway Company of New Jersey in the Lehigh and Susquehanna Division. During WWII he served in the Army from 1943 to 1946 as a medic in the European Theater, where he participated in the Rhineland Campaign. From 1951 up to the time of his death, he experienced a full and varied career in higher education at several Colleges and Universities, including the University of New Mexico, the University of Albuquerque, and Chapman University in Concord, CA. Some of his positions were Admissions Officer, Recruiter, Supervisor of Foreign Students, Dean of Students, Dean of Humanities, and Professor. As Director of the Education Tour Committee at the University of Albuquerque, Warren traveled extensively through Great Britain, the European Continent, Mediterranean Area, Scandinavia, Russia, Japan, and China. In 1972, he ran for the US Senator for the State of New Mexico to better understand the experience and apply this experience to a government class he taught regarding the election process. After his retirement from the University of Albuquerque in 1988, he was a Research Associate in history at UC, Berkley, where he studied the 12 mile WWII Richmond shipping yards railway for wartime workers in the Albany-Cordonices Village. From this he wrote a chronology with his wife, Catherine, entitled "A Selective History of the Cordornices - University Village, the City of Albany and Environs". Among other books, Warren and Catherine also wrote "Down Along the Old Bel-Del", "A Chronology of the Belvidere Delaware Railroad Company and the Region through Which it Operated". At the time of his death, they were in the final editing stages of the "Militant Reconstructionists in Metropolitan London, 1880-1914". He is survived by his brother, James Lee and sister, Muriel (Betty) Pipperata both in New Jersey; his wife of 54 years, Catherine T. Blackton Lee; his eight children, Barbara Herrera, Geraldine Lee-Widrig, Bradford Lee, Catherine Rael, Ernestine Lee-Hestir, Christine Lee-Milligan, Gregory Lee, and Randolph Lee; four son-in-laws, Ralph Rael, Kevin Hestir, Richard Milligan, and Thomas Widrig; eleven grandchildren, Pauletter Herrera, Erin Hestir, Robin Hestir, Cynthia Stoneking, Leonie Rael, Brian Rael, Stacey Rael, Eric Lee, Alexander Lee, Iris Milligan, and Mathew Milligan; one great-grandchild Martin Estevez; and his cat Scratch. The memorial service will be on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 12:00, Noon at French Mortuary Westside Chapel, 9300 Golf Course Rd. NW. The family prefers donations in his name to the Lee College Fund for his two grandchildren, Alex and Eric, who he adopted and raised; donations can also be made to the Lee Albany Village Historic Fund both at the Mechanics Bank, 279 Arlington Blvd., Kensington CA 94707, (510) 527-2223. French Mortuary, Inc. 9300 Golf Course NW (505) 897-0300
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