Lee Boyce

Lee Boyce, 84, of Cheyenne, formerly of Albin died peacefully on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at Mt. Towers Healthcare Center in Cheyenne. Lee Vern Boyce, more familiarly known as "Short" was born on October 21, 1926 in Norway, Kansas to Lawrence Vernon and Bessie Bell Boyce (Meyers). He came to Albin in 1929 when his parents opened a barbershop on Main Street. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the Navy and reported for duty when he was 18. He served aboard the Naval destroyer USS Lofberg during World War II escorting ships in the Pacific Ocean. After the war he returned to Albin and married his high school sweetheart, Maxine Sorensen on November 16, 1946 in Kimball, NE. They lived in Albin until 1947, then moved to the George Davis farm and worked there for 7 years. They returned to Albin where he drove and owned a truck until 1979. He then worked as a maintenance man for the town of Albin and drove school bus until his retirement in 1987. He and Maxine made their home in Albin for over 60 years and moved to Cheyenne in 2008 for health reasons. One of his major accomplishments later in life was receiving an honorary high school diploma from Albin High School 56 years after he attended school there. As his classmates graduated in 1945, he followed his three brothers into the military. The death of his brother Kenneth, who died in 1944, prompted him to join during World War II. He was a self taught man who earned many of his great strengths from the school of "hard knocks", so receiving his high school diploma certainly was a great honor. In 2009 he participated in the Wyoming Honor Flight to Washington D.C. to visit the World War II memorial--a trip he cherished. He was a member of the Albin Baptist Church and the Boyce-Marlatt American Legion Post 77. Short is survived by his daughters, Jeanne Burke and husband, Dick of Seattle, and Dixie Bowen and husband, Bob of Cheyenne: his grandson, Todd Howard and wife, Tana of Cheyenne; two great-grandsons, Tracen and Tripp Howard of Cheyenne; three step-grandchildren and three step great-grandchildren, Tina Kelker and husband, Christian, and daughter Elizabeth of Lancaster, PA, Bobby Bowen and wife, Megan, and children Ben and Lily of Carthage, N.Y., and Oliver Bowen and wife Dawn of Tucson, AZ. He is also survived by a brother, Leslie Boyce and wife Dolores of Indianapolis, IN and a sister, Mary Jean (Polly) Gardner and husband Richard of Pine Bluffs, sisters-in law Joan Boyce of Denver, Clara Ann Nelson of Kimball, Doris Sorensen and Carol Sorensen of Albin and Donna Sorensen of Cheyenne and Dorothy Sorensen of Arvada, CO. He has many nieces and nephews along with many loving friends and extended family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine, his parents, two brothers Kenneth and Nelson Boyce; and two sisters Margaret (Boyce) Strube, and Ila Marie Boyce (in infancy). Interment of his urn will be 1:00 p.m. Monday at the Albin Cemetery with a memorials service to follow at 2:00 p.m. at the Albin Community Center. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Schrader Funeral Home Expression of sympathy in Short's memory may be made to the Boyce-Marlatt American Legion Post #77 in Albin, the Albin Ambulance Fund or the Albin Baptist Church.

Service

Monday, April 11, 2011 2:00pm

Albin Community Center

430 5th Ave.

ALBIN, WY

Interment

Albin Cemetery

ALBIN, WY

Graveside Service will be held at 1:00 p.m.