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Richard Carl Lee, gifted engineer, carpenter

January 4, 2023

Richard “Dick” Carl Lee, 83, passed away Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, at his home in Long Neck. Dick was born in California but lived throughout his life in Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, the Bahamas, New Jersey and lastly, Delaware. 

Dick attended Cal Tech for three years but dropped out to work for RCA in the Bahamas to decrease his college debt. When drafted into the Army, he was sent to Fort Monmouth, N.J., where he served as a Signal School instructor. In New Jersey, he continued his education, and received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering, as well as a master of science in electrical engineering degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, later earning a master of business administration from Fairleigh Dickenson University.

Dick was a gifted engineer. Most of his career was spent at Boonton Electronics Corporation in Randolph, N.J., where he met his future wife, Martha. At Boonton, Dick developed numerous electronic test and measurement instruments, including in the early 1970s, a fully automatic capacitance bridge, the first microprocessor-based instrument the company had ever produced. He concluded his career at AT&T Labs, as a hardware/software engineer, designing wireless network termination devices for voice and data applications. Although Dick was trained as a hardware engineer, he was also a self-taught software engineer.

At the age of 60, Dick decided to train for a marathon. As disciplined in his approach to athletics as in every other aspect of his life, Dick ran for an hour each day before work and 15 or 20 miles each Saturday and Sunday. He entered and finished the Philadelphia Marathon at the age of 61.

In retirement, Dick and Martha moved to Winding Creek Village in Long Neck, where Dick was always available to help neighbors with computer problems or questions. He also held various positions on the board of governors of the property owners’ association there, serving six years variously as secretary, treasurer and president. Dick was also their database administrator for 10 years. 

Dick was a skilled carpenter, and had a full woodshop which included saws, a drill press, a planer, a router, a miter saw, a joiner, sanders, a bench grinder and many hand tools. He made many items for the home, including cabinets, work benches, shelves and bookcases. Throughout his retirement, Dick kept busy and active working at his computer or in his woodshop.  

Dick was preceded in death by his sisters, Diana Ismond and Nancy Ausmus. He is survived by his beloved wife, Martha Lee; his son, Richard C. Lee Jr. and wife Michelle; daughter, Caroline Lee; sister, Penelope Champion and husband Emmitt; brother-in-law, Paul Elterlein and wife Gloria; and grandchildren, Annika and Alec Lee. Dick was also very close to his late sister-in-law Julie Mulligan and her late husband Vincent, as well as to their daughter Nancy Mulligan, her husband Brad Clift, and son Andrew.

Online condolences may be made by visiting melsonfuneralservices.com.

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