Lee Backham Sr.

Leroy "Lee" Wayne Backham Sr., 71, went to be with his Heavenly Father on Nov. 30, 2013.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. Inurnment will be held at the Idaho State Veteran's Cemetery in Boise, at a later date.

Lee was born Feb. 16, 1942, in Selena, Calif., to Betty Beckham and Junior Armstrong. He was orphaned at the age of two and went to live with his grandparents, George and Lena Beckham. His grandparents died when he was still very young and he eventually lost touch with his family, as he was moved from home to home. He only was able to find part of his family about 18 years ago. Unfortunately, his four uncles passed soon after.

Lee went to school and graduated in San Fernando Valley, Calif.

Shortly after, he joined the U.S. Army, and as a sergeant did a six-year tour in Vietnam.

On March 25, 1971, Lee married the love of his life, Alberta "Birdie" Wood-Blankenship, in Las Vegas, Nev. He got the whole package, as Birdie had two children from a previous marriage, Burl "LeeRoy" and Honey, and loved them as if they were his own. In January of 1975, Lee and Birdie had a son together, Leroy "Dusty" Backham Jr.

Lee was a roofer by trade, until he decided he wanted to see the countryside and became a truck driver for Navaho. When his sight got bad and he could no longer drive truck, he worked at Mountain Home Air Force Base for Envision, where he retired.

Retirement didn't mean Lee took it any easier. It was just the opposite. He always had a "project" going, whether it was yard work and tending garden or helping out on community or family projects.

He also loved leatherwork, woodworking, and in the old days, rock hunting with his father-in-law, John Allred.

He loved to BS and tell a dirty joke.

He had a love for animals. He once raised a baby squirrel, calling him Peaches, as that was its favorite food, and he also fed up to a dozen homeless cats.

In California, he was a member of the Moose Lodge, and most recently here in Idaho, he was a member of The Federation for the Blind and American Legion Post #26.

Lee is survived by his wife of 42 years, Birdie Backham, and children Dusty Backham, of Mountain Home, Honey Ray of Texas, Adrian and Jennifer Barker, Doris and Bill Adams, and Cindy Tortolano, his grandson, Clayton Barker, and granddaughter Vanessa Toledo, and mother-in-law Phyllis Allred, all of Mountain Home, and several brothers and sisters-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Burl Blankenship, his grandparents, Lena and George Beckham, brother-in-law Bob Payne, father-in-law John Allred and four uncles, George, William, Donald and Leonard Beckham.