Dr. Don Royce Lee, 82, of Commerce, passed away in the early morning hours of May 17, 2022, with family by his side at Hunt Regional Medical Center of Greenville. Dr. Lee received his Master’s Degree in Biological Science and Physics from ETSU in Commerce and his PhD in Microbiology from Corvallis, Oregon. He was a retired Professor serving at Texas A&M, Commerce, in the Microbiology department. He was a member of ASM (American Society for Microbiology) and a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He was also a member of the Presbyterian Church in Commerce. He loved gardening and raising ornamental plants & Irises, and had the distinction of maintaining a garden for thirty-six straight months at one time. It was not unusual to see him standing next to his seven-foot-high tomato plants as he worked his three-acre garden. He also loved his time as a Professor and commented that he “enjoyed his time spent helping all my students to become the best professionals they could become”. He lived by the philosophy that “we should go through life treating everyone fairly and kindly as you would wish to be treated.”
He is survived by a son, Charles Keith Miller of Commerce; grandchildren: Dalton Lee Miller and Stetson Thomas Miller, great-grandchild, Ryleigh Mae Miller; a brother, Robert E. Lee of Oklahoma City, and a sister, Goldie L. Lee of Houston. He was preceded in death by his parents, eight siblings, and a grandson, Riley Patrick Miller.
Per his wishes, Dr. Lee will be laid to rest in the Lebanon Cemetery in Commerce, Tx. at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in a plain pine box.
