Charles Lee Culbert, 83

Charles Lee Culbert was born Oct. 12, 1931, and “went to be with the Lord” at the age of 83 on Aug. 12, 2015, at his home in Woods Bay.

Lee was born in Roscoe Township, Minnesota, to Francis “Slim” and Bessie Ann (Peg) Culbert. He moved to Woods Bay in the 1930s and, except for a brief time in California, spent his entire life in Montana.

He married Bonnie Lou McKnight on Feb. 5, 1952, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Lee served in the U.S. Navy from 1950 to 1954 as an aviation mechanic aboard the aircraft carrier USS Leyte.

Lee spent his working life in commercial construction as a foreman and superintendent on large projects such as the General Motors assembly plant in Fremont, California, and the Fresno County Courthouse. Projects in Montana included the Veterans Home in Columbia Falls and schools in Missoula. Starting in about 1976, Lee assumed leadership of the family corporation Red Gate Village at Woods Bay.

Lee is survived by his wife, Bonnie, of 63 years as well as his sister, Mary Layne Fitzgerald. In addition, he had five children, Douglas, David, Daryl, Dale and Shari; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and numerous other relatives.

Lee will be remembered at a memorial service to be held 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, at the Little Brown Church in Bigfork.

Lee’s legacy lives on in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.