George H. Lee

George Herman Lee was born and raised in Mahnomen, Minnesota, the twelfth child of George O. Lee and Hermana (Korsgaden) Lee. He graduated from Mahnomen High School where he was Senior Class President and Captain of the football team. Upon his graduation he enlisted in the Army and served in occupied Japan until his discharge in December 1947. He returned to Minnesota and fell in love and married Corinne (Terry) Sordahl in 1948. They were married 67 years until her death in 2016.

George and Terry moved to Seattle in 1950. As a reservist, he was called into active duty to serve in the Korean War with the Army Corp of Engineers. He was awarded a Meritorious Unit commendation, and upon his discharge in December 1951, George and Terry returned to Seattle and soon built a home in Bellevue. George started his career with Pay ‘n Save Corporation in 1955 as a camera department clerk and was quickly promoted, becoming a store manager in 1961 and moved to Longview to open a new store. He became a District Manager in 1971 and moved back to Bellevue. In 1979, he was named President of the Yard Birds Division, moving to Olympia, and later he and other employees purchased Yard Birds and he ran the three stores until the mid-1990s.

George was active with community service over the years in Seafair with the Miss Pay ‘n Save hydroplane races, Rotary Club, and the Elks Club. George and Terry raised two daughters and their family was the center of their lives. George’s other passions were gardening and landscaping; known for his vegetable garden and prized dahlias. He also could build, design, or fix anything and enjoyed helping family and friends with their projects. George and Terry loved to travel, with annual trips to Arizona, Mexico, and numerous European tours. George is survived by daughters Tammy McGrew and her husband Kelly of Land O’ Lakes, FL, and Cindy Funaro and her husband Steve of Redmond, WA, and many nieces and nephews. Remembrances can be made to the University of Washington Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.