Lee W. Halverstadt was born in the house on the family ranch in Earlimart, CA on Saturday, July 22, 1922, and he went home to be with Jesus at the age of 92, on Saturday, January 17, 2015. Lee grew up working on the ranch where, among other things, the family farmed raisins for Sun Maid Raisins. Lee later went to work for Sun Maid Raisins, beginning as an administrative assistant. When he retired in 1985, 37 years later, he did so as Vice President for the World's largest dried fruit cooperative.
Lee Halverstadt dedicated his life to the service of others. He was an active member of the community right up until his death, having hosted the monthly dinner meeting of the Fowler Friday Evening Club, the night before his death. He was heavily involved in service with the Salvation Army and the Boy Scouts of America, having held the highest award bestowed by a Council to volunteer scouters, the Silver Beaver Award. Lee was also active in the Downtown Rotary Club; SIRS; The Elks Club; E Clampus Vitus; The Westerners; The Fresno County Historical Society; the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge; the Combat Infantrymen's Association; the Military Order of Purple Hearts; The American Legion Post 509; the Fresno County Farm Bureau; and the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. Earlier in his life he was active in the Fresno Junior Chamber of Commerce where he served as president. Lee Halverstadt was also instrumental in the creation and maintenance of the Fresno County Blossom Trail.
Lee Halverstadt graduated with an MBA degree from University of California, Berkeley in 1948, but his educational experience was interrupted during World War II, when he enlisted with the United States Army's promise to become a Spanish translator for the war effort, which, of course, means he was instead sent to Belgium to fight in the Battle of the Bulge. Lee survived the Battle of the Bulge while sustaining severe frostbite which warranted his receiving the Purple Heart. He also was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism in combat. Lee was most proud of being a combat infantryman under General George Patton.
It was just before he was shipped out to war, that Lee married, on her college graduation day, his lifetime sweetheart, Dorothy Mae Weller. Through all of the events in Lee's adult life, his wedding ring never left his finger, until the year 2000, when he had open heart surgery and was not allowed to keep his wedding ring on during the surgery due to medical health reasons. Even then, there was a special ceremony in which his wedding ring was transferred to Dorothy's wedding ring finger just before he was wheeled into surgery. Likewise, there was a second ceremony, after the surgery, when doctors allowed him, once again, to wear his wedding ring. Lee and Dorothy renewed their vows when they celebrated their 70 year wedding anniversary this past June.
Lee was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, who loved the outdoors and instilled that same love into his children.
He is survived by his wife Dorothy; three sons and their wives, Ed and his wife Linda, Jonathan and his wife Lisa, and David and his wife Darci; six grandchildren, Matthew, Brent, Jana, Chad, Bethany, and Joshua; five great grandchildren, Jack, Taylor, Trel, Austin, and Paisley; and a host of friends who knew and loved him.
Visitation will be held at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns and Blair Funeral Home on Friday, January 30, 2015, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Interment will be held at Fresno Memorial Gardens, 175 S. Cornelia Ave., Fresno, CA on Saturday January 31, 2015, at 11:30 a.m.
A Memorial Service will be held at Peoples Church, G.L. Johnson Chapel, 7172 N. Cedar Ave, Fresno, CA 93720, on Saturday, January 31, 2015, at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made to Salvation Army, Fresno 1854 Fulton Street, Fresno, CA 93721; or Sequoia Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 6005 N. Tamera Ave., Fresno, CA 93711, www.seqbsa.org. Please designate in your remembrance that your donation is in memory of Lee W. Halverstadt.
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