Edwin Lee LeCompte, 85, died peacefully Sunday, April 23, 2017, in Virginia Beach. Born Aug 9, 1931, in Richmond, Va., he was the son of the late Isabel Smith Collie and Benjamin Berry LeCompte Sr.
Always a Southern gentleman, with a dash of fraternity brother, Lee cherished his many lifelong friends from his school days. A graduate of St. Christopher’s School, Lee took pride being captain of coach Brenaman’s last single wing football team who went undefeated in the 1948 Prep League. At Hampden Sydney, he served as class president, an officer of Kappa Sigma and member of ODK. Senior year, he captained coach Hickey’s football team to win the ‘Little Six’ title of 1952.
Lee entered the 5th District Coast Guard as an intelligence officer, commanding an 83′ patrol cutter and captain of the Port in Norfolk. In 1957, he was elected president of the first graduating class of UVA’s Darden School of Business. For the next 25 years, Lee was a devoted and successful Caterpillar equipment salesman, always giving away a ‘Cat Hat,’ and dedicated to the road-building customers of Robert Hill Carter, a true Virginia gentleman. He finished his sales career at Concrete Pipe & Products under Stan Navas.
Lee loved competitive outdoor sports, including tennis, golf, and racing sailboats. He was a former board member of the Princess Anne Country Club, helping to expand the tennis program there. He shared his enduring passion for sailing with friends and family and led many crews to first place finishes and wonderful memories up and down the eastern seaboard. He loved all things nautical and taught us the art of tying knots, celestial navigation, and how to work a single snap shackle swivel snatch block. In the 1970’s, he served as a commodore for the CCV Yacht Racing Club headquartered in Hampton, Va. In later years, he cherished golf outings with the gaggle at the PACC.
He was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church, where he taught Sunday school and became a Stephen Minister. He also participated in Rotary Club and was a past secretary of the Norfolk YMCA. He served as a docent at the Marine Science Museum in Virginia Beach and president of the Princess Anne Investment Club. Having worn hearing aids since his forties, Lee was disappointed that his severe hearing loss made it difficult to engage in more community activities, but it never deterred him from sharing and acting out his infamously embellished, detailed, always personal, and perhaps too intimate, movie-length jokes that left everyone simultaneously laughing and shaking their head.
He was preceded in death by his siblings, Ben B. LeCompte Jr. and Isabel ‘Sys’ Schulte.
Lee is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Robbie N. LeCompte; children, Jane L. Yates (Chuck) of Charlotte, N.C., Kirkwood A. LeCompte (Cathy) of Lawrenceville, N.J., and C. Mason LeCompte of Los Angeles; stepchildren, Jon D. Harden (Julie) of Berryville, Va., and Ashlie N. Hancock of Chesapeake, Va.; grandchildren, Kimberly D. Yates, Benjamin B. Yates, Nathaniel L. LeCompte, Adam M. LeCompte, Avery E. Harden, Alexandra S. Harden, Zora R. Hancock, Hazel J. Hancock, R. Grace Duerson and Laura A. Duerson. He is also survived by his first wife, Jane S. LeCompte Evans.
A memorial service for friends and family will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at First Presbyterian Church, 300 36th St., Virginia Beach, with a reception to follow at the Princess Anne Country Club. The Rev. Albert Butzer will officiate. A graveside service will occur at at 2 p.m. Monday, May 1, at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, with a reception to follow at 906 Westover Road. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Lee’s life.
The family would like to thank caregivers Jackie Swanson, Tracey Garner and Pat Wood for their dedication to Lee when he needed them.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Lynnhaven River NOW.
