Robert George Lee

Robert George Lee passed away at his home on January 23, 2023, at the age of 81 after a fearless fight with cancer with his wife Ruthann at his side. He was born at the Benedict Memorial Hospital in Ballston Spa, June 20, 1941. He grew up in West Milton near there and attended Ballston Spa High School where he participated in Football and Wrestling. He won the wrestling section championship in the 175-pound class in his senior year. He worked on area dairy farms for a year before joining the Air Force where he became a mechanic on B-52 bombers which were protecting our country at that time. He was stationed in Texas, Florida, Illinois, and Massachusetts during his nine-year career. He came back home and went to the Watervliet Arsenal where he earned a machinist rating. A job opened at the Air National Guard in Schenectady which he took. This guard job was to supply the bases in Antarctica and the Artic Circle with supplies by aircraft which needed little runway as they landed on the ice. He did this for over thirty years before retiring as a Chief Master Sergeant. He said he sometimes kept those planes flying with rubber bands and bubble gum to hold them together. His passion was hunting and fishing as he was born with a gun in one hand and a fishing pole in the other. He grew up doing this from the time he could get to the creek bank which was just down the road or into the woods which were just out behind the house. He traveled to Canada to Lake Chibougamau with his dad a few years where he on the first trips he caught pike longer than he was tall. In the fall he was bird hunting as there were always hunting dogs in the kennel. At sixteen he started to big game hunt and took a nice eight point buck that first year while hunting with neighbors on Tongue Mountain. He found places to hunt and fish while in the service, but he just had to fish and hunt for different things. He married Ruthann Fundis February 18, 1978, in Rock City Falls. When he got back home and in his time off while working at the Guard, he was fishing on brooktrout lakes in the Adirondacks while camping with his family. Hunting falls in backcountry deer camp near Stony Creek Lake with old hunting buddies. Then Lake Ontario caught his fancy with the big fish they were catching there. So, on his time off from the Guard he would be out at the lake camping and fishing. Soon it became a business when he got his Captain’s License which they called Perfect Day Charters. He had purchased a piece of property on Willsboro Point on Lake Champlain and built a garage with an apartment in hopes that Lake Champlain would become the fishery that Ontario was. Then he built a kit log cabin on that lot almost by himself where he and Ruthann have lived for 27 years. Fall time had him hunting out west for mule deer and elk and white tail deer in the Adirondacks. After a few years he moved the charter business completely to Lake Champlain. Looking for bigger game he and Ruthann went on a safari to Africa where he took several species of big game. Winters now he had put away the tip-ups and jig fished for perch to sell, and he filled his bucket many times. Early springtime he was chasing turkeys, which he said was his most enjoyable sport. Just a year ago he took a big double bearded tom which he was most proud of. He took his family on many of these adventures and if they didn’t go, he would call and tell them about the trip they had missed. When the fish weren’t biting out on a charter, he always had a story to tell and make it a Perfect Day. His daughter Jennifer passed on a few things about her dad. We joke that he always wore rose colored glasses- what a way to live! He always saw the good, the silver lining. He didn’t have room for the negative. Think what the world would be like if we all had a pair of his glasses. Left to cherish Bob’s memory are his wife of 44 years Ruthann (Fundis) Lee, Willsboro, NY, Sons, Robert Lee (Angie) Cumming, Georgia, Robert Jennings (Joy) Bridport, Vermont, the late Donald Jennings, Charles Jennings, Brant Lake, NY, Daughter Jennifer Blaauboer (Scott), Ballston Spa, NY. Grandchildren, Taylor Jennings, Jadie Lee, Kolbie Lee, Gracie Lee, Wade Blaauboer and Miranda Blaauboer, Great Grandson, Cameron Foster Brother Gary Lee (Karen), Sisters Wendy Lee-Wagner (Bob), Patti Conroy (Edward) Nephews, Michael Lee, Jason Lee, Jeremy Conroy and Kevin Conroy Nieces, Erin Bills, Meghan Conroy and Paulina Wagner Many great nieces and nephews. Many great friends, fishing buddies and hunting partners. Bob is joining in heaven, his father, Robert C. Lee, mother Doris Lee and son Donny Jennings. To honor his wishes, there will be no funeral services. We invite you to please privately celebrate Bob’s memory in your own way. We know he will be with us in spirit. The family would like to thank High Peaks Hospice for their incredible care. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to High Peaks Hospice, 454 Glen Street, Glens Falls, N.Y. 12801