US Army Private Dewey Riley Lee was born in Chancellor, Geneva County, Alabama on December 8, 1923, son of James Marvin Lee (1901-1982) and Bessie Couch (1905-1997). His parents were married on December 24, 1922 in Geneva County, Alabama and his father spent his whole life as a farmer. Prior to 1940, the family had relocated to Jay, Florida in Santa Rosa County and continued farming. Their son Dewey graduated from high school in 1941 and moved to Pensacola and took a job with the Hainje's House Furnishers at 108 Wright Street as a clerk/messenger. While in Pensacola he was living at 314 West Government Street with Grover C. and Fannie Rice from Allentown.
As WWII was raging in Europe and the South Pacific, Dewey enlisted in the US Army on February 27, 1943. He was sent to Camp Blanding, Florida for processing and orientation. After basic training he was sent to Ft. Story in Princess Anne County, Virginia where he was assigned "MP or Military Police" duties with the 2nd Coast Artillery along with the 246th Coast Artillery, a Virginia National Guard unit. On July 8, 1943, he was in a shelter which very likely was the guard shack at the entrance to the base. A storm blew up and before anyone knew it a lightning bolt struck Private Dewey Riley, killing him instantly.
His body was transported to Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabama and buried in the Sardis United Methodist Church Cemetery with full military honors. Next to him lies his parents James Marvin and Bessie Couch Lee.
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